#obm hurt/comfort

[with-love-from-hell]

5 Sides of Human

{Part eleven}

Genre: Mixed

WC: ~4.8k

CW: time skipping from main plot (I’m not doing certain parts of the canon story and/or are doing them out of order because I didn’t like them the way they were and it’s my story so there lol), brief mention of Mephistopheles (but no spoilers), anxiety, depictions of anger and verbal aggression, sarcasm, lots of hurt in Levi’s part, implications of past abuse, suggestive, kissing, gossiping, love triangle, Storm has a stutter but I am not depicting it with written word consistently, pining, spoilers for season 1&2!

Series Masterlist

“Oooh hey you two! Guess who I just ran into!” No. 2 skipped up to Storm and Mammon as they exited the Ferris Wheel. 

Mammon scoffed. “If ya don’t say Lord Diavolo I’m gonna-” 

“Well, no...not him...” No. 2 took a step back to avoid an easy-access grasp from Mammon. “I saw some of your brothers and the other exchange students! They’re looking for you guys.” 

“What?!” Mammon whined in frustration, “How did they know we’re even here!?” 

No. 2 giggled. “The RAD Newspaper Club posted your picture on Devilgram to advertise the fair! Your brothers saw it and were awfully mad that you and Storm are having a little date here.” 

“This isn’t a date.” Storm sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. 

Mammon’s eyelid twitched, feeling the sting of Storm’s confirmation that they weren’t a couple, but he swallowed back the hurt. “R-right. We came here to find Lord Diavolo and my loser of an older brother for you, and yet ya’ve-”

“Excuse me? Who are you calling a loser?” 

Mammon yelped, leaping into the air in fear at the sudden interruption from behind him. Storm winced at Mammon’s reaction as her arm was tugged once more, now seriously wondering if he had already popped it out of it’s socket. 

“Also, what are you two doing here? You’re supposed to be buying things for the play, not goofing around.” Lucifer crossed his arms in frustration and glared at Mammon, awaiting a response. 

“I-well, we- uh...” Mammon stuttered, trying to find an excuse after being rattled by the eldest’s sudden appearance. 

Storm sighed. “We were shopping for supplies, but Levi, Beel, Asmo, and Sarah all ditched us to go off on their own. We bought some things- they’re in my backpack. Then we found No. 2 and-.” 

“Lord Diavolo!!” No. 2 screeched, jumping into his arms. “I’m so glad we finally found you!” 

“No. 2!? Where have you been?!” Diavolo scolded, just barely catching them as they latched onto his chest. “Barbatos informed me you had been missing and I was growing concerned when he said he couldn’t find you anywhere near the castle!” 

“Oh, Lord Diavolo! I missed you so, so much!” No. 2 nuzzled into his pectorals affectionately. 

“Pfft, whatever. It ain’t like you were sobbin’ when ya dragged us to all of the attractions here, pipsqueak.” Mammon grumbled in annoyance. 

“My Lord! It’s been awful! Truly an absolute nightmare!” No. 2 wailed in exaggeration, “Mammon’s been tormenting me in the most devious ways! And poor Storm has been dragged along as well! We’ve basically been held hostage!” 

Storm stifled a laugh as Lucifer and Diavolo both cast Mammon a warning glare. 

“Oi! Quit Lyin’!” Mammon yelled, throwing his arms up, yanking Storm’s short arms along with his. “Ya begged us to help ya find Lucifer and Lord Diavolo!” 

Storm yelped at the movement, finally hearing a pop in her shoulder. “Ah! Mammon! I told you to quit- ouch!” She yelped again as he forcefully snapped his arms down in shock, not intentionally wanting to hurt her. 

She rubbed her shoulder as Lucifer took a step closer. His jaw was tense and his brows were knitted in anger. “Changing the subject- why are the two of you holding hands?” 

“What, are ya jealous?” Mammon snickered, earning a glare from Lucifer. 

“Our hands are stuck together. I’m not sure why, but it’s been like this for at least an hour now.” Storm added, wincing when she attempted to show him proof that they were indeed stuck together. 

The tension held in Lucifer’s face, neck, and shoulders visibly lightens as a satisfied smirk plays on his lips. “Mm, that makes more sense then.” Lucifer’s eyes drift to the plushie held under Storm’s armpit, and his expression then twists in curiosity. “Storm, what is that you’ve got there?”

“I’ve got one too!” No. 2 jumped out of Diavolo’s arms and holds up his zombie iguana. 

Diavolo’s gasped in excitement, “Those are one of the hottest items in Devildom right now! Where did you two get them?” 

“Mammon gave them to us. You know, as a way to pay tribute to us.” No. 2 giggled as Mammon’s face reddened. 

“Well, obviously that’s the reason your hands won’t come apart.” Lucifer sighed. “Honestly, Mammon. With how many times you’ve had to retake Curses and Hexes, I would think you’d recognize a curse when you encounter one.” 

“Oh...it’s cursed...” Storm murmured as she cast a sad glance down at her plushie. 

“Here.” Lucifer reached out his hand and gestured for her to hand over the stuffed iguana. Once the plushie was out of her hands, the force binding her hand to Mammon’s was released, and their hands fell to their sides. 

“Wait...We’re unstuck! Like, a second ago we couldn’t pull ‘em apart no matter how hard we tried!” Mammon flailed his arms about, almost in disbelief that he had the freedom of movement. 

“Yeah, you’re telling me...” Storm groaned, whimpering as she tried to roll her shoulder back into place. 

“This is a dangerous item. I could see it being used for nefarious purposes, so we better dispose of it.” 

Lucifer held out his other palm, a purple flame igniting in it. He had barely moved the plushie over the flame when Storm screamed out a loud “No.”

Lucifer paused, quirking a brow at her as the flame in his palm fizzled out. Mammon and Diavolo stared at her in shock, not expecting such a firm command coming out of the normally timid human. 

“Aww, is it because it’s a gift from Mammon? How sweet!” No. 2 clasped his hands together, mimicking kissing noises at Storm as her cheeks turned rosy. 

“Lucifer, I think you are more than capable of lifting the curse on the item, wouldn’t you say?” Diavolo grinned, but behind it held as hint of satisfaction at catching his close advisor in a fit of jealousy. 

Lucifer cleared his throat, but Diavolo didn’t miss the slight pink hue that formed over his ears. “I suppose that is an alternative option. So, if I must...” 

A flash of light burst from Lucifer’s fingertips as he murmured under his breath. Within seconds, the light faded, and Lucifer handed the stuffed Iguana back to Storm. 

“Here, it’s just a normal stuffed animal now.” Lucifer felt his heart sink as she snatched the plushie back, holding it tight to her chest. “I don’t see what your attachment is to such an ugly looking thing, but to each their own I suppose.” 

“Hey! If liftin’ the curse was that easy, why’d ya try to burn it to ashes!?” Mammon snarled, though felt a sense of satisfaction when glancing toward Storm. 

“We have more important matters to discuss Mammon.” Lucifer growled, taking a step toward him. “I know that you have knowledge about the illegal Casino here, and you’re going to tell me what you know. Now.” 

“Uhh...” Mammon stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Y’know, I just remembered I got someplace to be! See ya!” 

He tried to turn the opposite direction, but Diavolo swiftly stepped in front of him with his arms crossed. “Mammon...”

Lucifer took another step closer, but Diavolo held up his hand, urging him to pause. 

“Don’t you worry, I’ll interrogate Mammon and get the information we need.” Diavolo smiled, clasping a firm hand to Mammon’s shoulder. “I think your presence will only encourage him to be dishonest just to get us off his back. And Storm’s presence would also not be wonderful, so why don’t you escort her home?” 

Lucifer nodded as Diavolo grasped Mammon by the shoulder, turning and walking toward a dark corner of the fair. No. 2 followed close behind, giggling maniacally and mocking Mammon for his whimpers in fear. 

“I have no doubt Diavolo will get the information we need.” Lucifer smiled, but it quickly faded to a frown. “My work here is likely done, so we can return home now.” 

“Wait...” Storm pressed a hand to his forearm as he begun to turn around, stopping him in his tracks. 

Lucifer sucked in a breath, nearly shuddering at how tenderly she she touched him. “What’s the matter?” 

“Well...I mean, Mammon and I were so wrapped up in trying to find you guys for No. 2 that we didn’t really get to enjoy much...and I’ve never been to something like this in the Devildom before, so...” She bit her lip, averting her gaze. “If you’d want to, I mean...could we-”

Lucifer chuckled. “Of course, Storm. Perhaps it would be good for me to have a bit of fun after such a stressful week.” 

Lucifer took her by the arm, linking it tightly in his. He lead her directly back to the Ferris wheel, and her heart dropped with anxiety. She was happy to get off of the damn thing with Mammon- the height making her feel unreasonably anxious. Though, with Lucifer holding his arm around her as they entered the line, the anxiety she felt melted away slightly. 

Once up in the air, Storm’s gaze was fixated again on her feet. Lucifer eyed her curiously, watching her try to take deep breaths. By now he was able to recognize when she was feeling anxious, and wondered why it appeared to be occurring now. 

“Seems like you were having quiet a good time with Mammon.” He noted, watching her eyes briefly meet his before dropping back to her feet. “You say you came here looking for Diavolo and me, but perhaps you two were just using it as an excuse to spend some alone time together and enjoy the carnival instead.” 

Storm furrowed her brow, slowly lifting her eyes to meet his. “I mean, it was okay, I suppose. But being stuck together and yanked around in the haunted house wasn’t exactly fun, and being teased the entire time by No. 2 wasn’t either. I’m also not exactly...fond of heights.” She swallowed turning her attention back to her feet. “Though, the games we played were fun.” 

Lucifer hummed in response, feeling relieved that she didn’t have as great of a time as he had feared. “Diavolo and I came here to investigate an illegal casino, but we weren’t actually able to locate it. The ghosts and demons who run the carnival can be surprisingly stubborn. Still, I don’t plan to give up just yet. I’m sure Mammon knows something.” 

Storm nodded, shifting her weight carefully so as not to disturb the stability of the cart. “Yeah, No. 2 said they’d followed you here to try to figure out what you’re up to, but I have a feeling they just wanted to enjoy the fair. They seemed to have a blast. And based off of Mammon’s responses when No. 2 asked him about the Casino, I’d say you’d probably get everything you need out of him.”

Lucifer nodded with a light chuckle, continuing to observe her demeanor. “Storm, there was something I wanted to ask you, by the way.” 

Storm met his eyes again, her heart flipping in her chest at the anticipation of what he was going to ask. “Oh? What’s that?” 

Lucifer crossed his arms and leaned back, causing the cart to sway slightly. Storm gripped the seat tightly, her knuckles white as a result of the strain. “You and Diavolo are becoming quite close now that you’re co-stars of the play, wouldn’t you say?”

“I suppose...” She shrugged, carefully glancing down toward the carnival and trying to relive her discomfort at being up so high. “Why?” 

“Well, ever since this whole play idea began, Diavolo hasn’t quite seemed like himself to me.” Lucifer bowed his head, the sheepishness in his appearance almost coming as a surprise to Storm. “At first glance, he seems like his usual, jovial self...but something has just felt...off.” 

Storm nodded. “Are you talking about how he’s kind of been avoiding you?” 

Lucifer shot his gaze up to her, his eyes widening in surprise. “You’ve taken notice?” 

She nodded once more. “Yeah. He’s been really dodgy on rehearsing and canceling last minute for seemingly no reason- and like, I saw how he was the past few days of rehearsal too- like his mind is elsewhere all the time.” 

Lucifer nodded rapidly in agreeance. “Yes! Precisely. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks this is strange. Even more of the problem though is that he refuses to acknowledge it himself, and seems to be hiding something from me...though I can’t quiet pinpoint what...Would you happen to know anything about why this might be, Storm?” 

Storm thought for a moment, chewing her lip and glancing out at the skyline. Her anxiety about the ride seemed to have melted throughout their conversation. “I’m not so sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s imaginary. Something’s definitely wrong, and regardless of if he doesn’t talk to you about it, you should be there to support him. I know that it’s hard feeling like you’re left in the dark about something- especially with someone you know and trust- but should he choose to open up to it, it would be terrible for him to think you would think ill of him because of his odd behavior.” 

Lucifer blinked back his surprise at the shockingly solid advice provided by the human. “So...You’re saying Diavolo needs my support despite me not knowing what needs supporting...” 

Storm nodded. “And I mean, have you even tried directly asking him what’s up? I’m sure if you tell him you’re concern he will open up to you.” 

“Hmm...” He nods, seemingly to himself. “Yes, perhaps you have a point. I will try talking to him directly. Thank you, I appreciate your feedback and support- it was helpful.” 

“Of course.” Storm smiled at him. “After as much as you’ve provided me I figured I could eventually return the favor.” 

Lucifer chuckled, leaning back and spreading his arms over the back of the seat. “To think that the Avatar of Pride himself would rely on a human for support to this degree...It’s funny. I’d never thought of myself as needing this type of care.” 

Storm laughed. “Just imagine what your brothers would say.” 

Lucifer shook his head. “Absurd, the idea. They would probably be frozen in shock.” 

The two laughed lightly, before fading into a comfortable silence. The cart stopped at the peak, seemingly letting off riders and allowing more on. Lucifer sighed, knowing that their time would soon be up. He glanced down, trying to calculate how much longer of such a pleasant moment he had with Storm. 

Suddenly, he felt the weight in the cart shift, and Storm’s hands were resting on his knees. When he turned back to ask what she was doing, he was met with her lips gently pressing against his. His eyes widened, and then slowly closed as he met the kiss eagerly, cupping his pal one gently near her jawline. Their mouths moved gently against each others, passionately breaking the tension that had been building for the past week. When they parted, he felt his heartbeat begin to flutter with excitement, now noticing how beautiful she looked uplit by the carnival lights. 

Lucifer shook his head, smiling faintly to himself as he admired her beauty. His thoughts raced with what he could possibly say in response, wondering if she’d laugh at him for nearly praying she would take the opportunity to kiss him. “Your boldness never ceases to amaze me, Storm.” 

Storm smiled warmly, but felt a bit of nervousness from the blank reaction begin to fester in her tummy. “I hope that means that kissing you was okay...” 

Lucifer chuckled, reaching over to tuck some loose hair behind her ear. He slowly moved to kiss her again, resting his hand on the back of her neck as they both melted into each other. On the second part, he flashed a coy smirk. “I hope that answers your question.” 

She blushed, though nodded in response. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at him, finding equal radiance in how the carnival lights lit the sharp features on his face and silky black hair.

He dropped his gaze from hers after suddenly feeling embarrassed under her observation, shaking his head once more as a deep blush sprouted on his cheeks and the tips of his ears. “I guess I really have changed, hm? You wouldn’t have pictured me like this when we first met.” 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing...” Storm teased, lightly bumping her leg against his. 

Lucifer smiled in response. He placed his hand gently over her knee, smoothing over the exposed skin through one of the holes in her jeans with his thumb. “No, it’s not bad...just...unusual.” 

“DID YOU JUST SEE THAT!” Fern shouted directly into Vivi’s ear, causing her to smack them in the chest. 

“Jesus fuck, you didn’t have to scream in my ear!” She rubbed her earlobe, now in a worse mood than when they first entered the carnival and got their picture taken by Mephistopheles- who was also met with a swift backhand from Vivi. 

“Well I’m sorry but like...look! Look at them! They’re making out up there!” Fern groaned in annoyance, pointing to where Lucifer and Storm were leaned into each others faces at the peak of the Ferris Wheel. 

“Oh my god, that’s hot.” Sarah fanned her face, gushing over the scene before her. “We just better make sure we don’t tell you-know-who about it. Not that great wank material to be honest.” 

“Sarah, please.” Vivi groaned, trying to erase the imagery from her mind.

“I think Mammon would actually lose his mind,” Belphie noted, “but that still might be fun to watch.”

“He doesn’t deserve to be hurt like that, you ass hat.” Fern smacked Belphie on the back of the head. He glared at them, rubbing the space tenderly. “Mammon’s a good noodle, he’s just kind of a dummy.” 

“Ick. He probably stinks like booze and cigars.” Vivi fake-gagged, causing Satan to laugh in amusement. 

“What are you guys going on about?” Beelzebub gnawed mindlessly on a turkey leg, now bringing his attention back to the individuals in front of him. 

“Lucifer and Storm getting it on up there.” Sarah pointed to the top cart, where they had now seemed to have parted and sat staring at each other. 

“Ew, Sarah. I don’t need the image of an nasty old man fucking my friend, okay?” Fern groaned. 

“Gross. Both of you are gross.” Vivi sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Why don’t they just date already?” Asmo whined. “Like, seriously? This teasing is unbearable.” 

“As if you had a shot with her to begin with.” Satan scoffed, shaking his head. 

“Oh, and you did?” Asmo snickered in response. “As I recall she specifically turned you down after saying that you scared her too much.” 

“Asmo, you better shut your damn face if you know what’s good for you.” Satan growled, flushing in embarrassment. 

“Wait a minute.” Vivi furrowed her brow. “You have a thing for her too?” 

“Uhh...” Satan paused, trying to find the right words to say. “Well, I mean...I-”

“Oh, he had it bad for her alright.” Asmo rolled his eyes. “Talking about taking her on romantic dates and ways to flaunt her in front of Lucifer to make him jealous.  He even asked for my advice on a sexy gift!” 

Fern and Belphie snorted as Vivi socked Satan in the stomach. He doubled over, coughing, shortly before being kicked square in the ass. Satan was sent toppling over with a yelp, as the others began to laugh heartily at his pain. 

“Fucking Disgusting.” Vivi growled, both feeling annoyed at Satan’s behavior and jealous of the affection he clearly harbored for Storm. “She’s got enough to worry about without you crap eating sons of a fuck tryin’ to get in her pants. Lucifer is bad enough as it is.” 

“True, but anyone is better than Dracula’s bastard child.” Fern pouted. “Ugh, she’s to sweet for such a bitter old man.” 

“You can say that again.” Belphie scoffed, earning a pointed glare from Fern. 

“Well, anyone but him and you.”

Belphie was taken aback. “Wait, why! What’s the matter with me?!”

“Stinky!” Sarah giggled, nearly doubling over laughing as Belphie glared at her. “Stinky cowboy!” 

“Great.” Lucifer shook his head as he approached with Storm on his arm. “What are you all doing here now?” 

“We saw Storm was on a date with Mammon and came to crash it,” Asmo smiled evilly, “but now it seems she’s gotten a private date with both of you, which hardly seems fair!”

“We want some quality time with Storm too.” Beelzebub added through a mouth full of popcorn, the purchasing of which was not noticed by anyone there. 

Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Why don’t we all just grab something to eat. I doubt you all have eaten dinner given the fact that Mammon was supposed to prepare it tonight.” 

“Never mind, that sounds good too.” Beelzebub licked his lips. “I can’t wait.” 

Storm giggled, leaning forward and poking Beel in the tummy. Beelzebub gave a soft squeak in response, before letting out a small laugh. After meeting her eyes for a moment, the others distracted by talking about what to eat for dinner, Beelzebub effortlessly grabbed her out from under Lucifer’s arm. He flung Storm over his shoulder, taking off running before anyone could stop him. 

“We get to pick what’s for dinner!” Storm sang out through her laughter, bouncing on Beel’s shoulder as he bounded through the crowd, followed closely behind by the others. They shouted at Beel to slow down, trying their best to keep up with him as he turned into the pop-up cafe. He set Storm down gently at the entrance, holding the door open for everyone as they finally caught up.  

“I hope I’m not bugging you.” Heart noted as they slid into Levi’s room, maneuvering around the piles of fabric, sewing supplies, and unfinished projects for the play. “I know you’re super busy.” 

“Oh, t-that’s okay!” Leviathan stammered, still not used to how eager Heart always was to hang out with him. “I was just thinking I needed a break, so I’m glad you’re here.” 

“Oh, by the way...” Heart reached into their sachel and pulled out a set of Anime DVDs and handed them to Levi. “I finished the series yesterday so I figured I’d bring it back.” 

“OMG.” Levi snatched the DVD’s excitedly and tossed the set on his desk. his pupils were wide as he turned his excited attention back to Heart. “What did you think of the ending?! Did you cry? Wasn’t it so sad!? 

“I can’t believe the princess sacrificed herself to save the village when the knights were only like 5 minutes away and could have saved it themselves!” Heart sighed. “I know they did it for the drama but like, damn man! How depressing!” 

“I know right!” Levi groaned wiping away a stray tear. “Gah, just thinking about it makes me emotional!”

“Thats a mood.” Heart chuckled as Levi began digging through a drawer on his desk. 

“Since you are officially a member of the Princess Agaetha of Rame, the Legendary Ghost Village of Bakareem, and the Round Table Knights Who Vow to Protect Them,” Levi kneeled, holding out his hand, “I grant you, Heart, this honorary badge!” 

Heart chuckled as they took the small button Levi held in his palm. It was the same colors as the knight’s flags in the show, and had a quote from the show, stating “Comrades indeed are the essentials to survival.” Heart smiled, finding Levi’s obscure Otaku fascinations to be charming, and something that they could bond over with both him and Sarah. 

The three had become extremely close over the past couple months, but Heart felt a special bond with Levi for some reason. They couldn’t quite place their finger on why, but they seemed to understand each other well. They also knew that they weren’t quite fit for a relationship together, but were close enough to talk about their crushes- both on shows and in real life. Levi gave Heart surprisingly sound advice on how to become closer to Asmo, and Heart in turn went out of their way to often include Sarah in hangouts so Levi could spend time with her. Though, Levi was always disgruntled when Heart would suddenly and suspiciously find an excuse to leave the room, knowing that they were doing it on purpose to give him some alone time with her. 

“Is everyone off doing their own thing? We were supposed to do fittings when I’m done with their new outfits but the house has been weirdly quiet for the past hour.” 

“They all bailed and went to the Carnival to crash Storm and Mammon’s date or something.” Heart rolled his eyes, plopping down on one of Levi’s plush bean bags as he searched for something to watch.

“Wait, they all left without telling me?” Levi paused, turning to face Heart with dejected eyes. “Why wouldn’t they invite me along?” 

Heart felt their chest ache for the hurt shown in Levi’s eyes. “I’m not sure, but It was pretty shitty of them to do that- that’s for sure.” 

Levi sighed, going back to digging through his Anime collection. He finally found one that was more lighthearted about anthropomorphic animals, and switched it on. They sat in silence for a while; the tension in the air hung thick over them as Levi’s disappointment and envy festered. Suddenly, a ping in the group chat with his brothers alerted him, and he opened up his phone to see tons of group pictures of his brothers and the other humans at the carnival, as well as a restaurant where they seemed to be having a great time...all without him. 

Levi stifled tears as he threw his phone to the side. “Can they make it more obvious that they don’t want me around?” 

Heart blinked in surprise. “What do you mea-”

“I mean exactly what I said.” Levi snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. “None of them like me- not even Storm, and She’s supposed to be my friends. They’d all rather just do things without me because I’m just an annoying Otaku.”

“Levi, that’s not true.” Heart shook their head standing up to move closer. 

“Then why is this always the case?!” Levi yelled, nearly jumping to his feet. Heart jolted back in surprise as Levi continued on, displaying his hurt outwardly in full. “It’s always that everyone else gets first dibs on dates with Storm and she hardly puts up an argument! Even Sarah is the same way- Like, you’ve had to pull teeth to get her to hang out with me! And my brothers never want me around- they all just think I’m some stupid shut in and an embarrassment of a brother.”

After finally letting it all out, Levi collapsed back down in his beanbag, burying his head in his hands.  Heart’s own heart ached at the sight of him breaking down, feeling so terrible for how lowly Leviathan thought of himself. 

“Levi...” Heart sighed, kneeling in front of him. “Just because you’re different than the rest of them doesn’t make you stupid or unlikeable. I know that, and Storm does too. If she really wasn’t friends with you, do you think all of those stories about your time with her during the first year of the human exchange program would exist?”

Levi shrugged, sniffling quietly. 

Heart shook their head, placing their hand gently on his shoulder blade. “I don’t think they would be. And maybe it is true that you isolate more than most, but that doesn’t mean that they had bad intentions for not inviting you along.” 

Levi shrugged again. “I find it hard to believe that.” 

Heart nodded. “I get that. For now, why don’t we just play games for awhile to take your mind off things. Henry and I are here, and if we would have gone alone, we would have invited you for sure.” 

Levi glanced up over his fingertips. “R-really?”

Heart nodded. “I don’t really like date crashing anyway, and I’m sure you wouldn’t have either. So lets enjoy something better.” 

Levi smiled, nodding once and wiping the stray tears from his cheeks. “Y-yeah. That sounds good. Thanks, Heart. You’re a good friend.” 

Heart smiled, handing him a controller. “You are too Levi, even if you don’t believe me.”

[diodellet]

hiya dio!! tossing in 3 (honkai star rail? 👀), 5, and 15!!

hiya ian! thanks for shooting me an ask!!

3.) Go to the [honkai star rail] tag and reblog some art you like that has under 100 notes

aight i gotchu oomfie, ill search for stuff to queue up 😤😤

5.) What genre do you like reading the best?

angst and hurt/comfort 🔛🔝!!!

it's painful, it's good, and it makes emotional processing so much easier and less burdensome because the difficulty goes into finding an okay sentence and stringing together ok-ish dialogue (but at least those can be solved with a banger ass playlist, ykw?)

augh special mention to one of my formative twst fics i love that grim has such a big role in this

15.) Worst fanfic tropes ever?

NOO!!!! U CANT MAKE ME SAY BAD THINGS ABT FANFIC!!! ALL FANFIC IS GOOD WHEN IT IS MADE WITH HEART!!!

(did i say bridal carry? ill just say it again for funsies HAHAHA i dont like bridal carries, it doesn't spark any joy, please just carry me like this🤧👇👇)

i'm usually really open-minded with reading fanfics... so aside from the obvious fanfic writing sins (using generative AI, plagiarism, not doing enough careful research for sensitive topics) OH WAIT--

(this is probably specific to genshin/hyv) but i Reaaaaally don't like it when fandom infantilizes characters that use the teenage model. like, there is such a thing as short adults! (me. i am one of them!) one time i saw someone say that lynette was probably a year younger than lyney and i was confused bcs aren't they twins??? like, are we forgetting that lynette was the primary "errand-goer" for the house of hearth upon getting her vision? girlie's probably seen more shit than lyney did.

^^semi-related to infantilizing characters, i dont like how some obm fics treat luke as a literal toddler. like, yes he's immature but he's got a good head on his shoulders and even if he's a low-ranked angel he probably has sm powers that he can make use of to protect MC. and i esp see how he gets left out even in gen/platonic fics and hcs. smtimes i feel compelled to look at the game's shitty pop quiz events for fanfic fuel (i mean, the luke tag has more ppl saying not to sexualize him than actual writing and that bugs me ://)

There used to be this really good obm fanfic (Nightmare by StarsEncrusted) and it had a plot point of helping luke get his wings, but it++the author's orig account got deleted from ao3. thankfully some fans had the foresight to archive it, so heres a wayback link to the fic and the accompanying side stories

i guess to expound more on my aversion to marriage in fanfic, it icks me when the characterization stops feeling like the characters themselves and the fic starts feeling heteronormative (also sometimes the writing comes across as if the marriage/childbirth "fixes" all those issues, which, it doesn't) and, well, i already kind of deal with the idea of "getting settled down" shoved in my face. it's really not for me. but i do understand why it's comforting to people, smtimes i can indulge in reading in it. but on a bad day, nah, i can't.

anyway, also special shout out to chat fics, they can be fun but idk it reads to me as a way to regurgitate overused incorrect quotes. (please some vines need to be laid to rest. also, can we stop quoting that one copaganda show oh my god)

(art appreciation ask questions, please bug me to rb some underrated fic and art)

[trebledcrow]

Suddenly having the idea to make a new side obm mc or two. Nothing replaces my self insert (who is also kinda 5-10% oc because this is fantasy ✨) but I love creating characters and stories… I might mess around with the idea soon after I finish a few things that need to be done ( 1) a “birthday” art for my mc because shes.. shes me. And my birthday is November 15th. 2) solomon x GN!mc winter fic 3) a hurt/comfort solomon and mc fic I have like one small paragraph for 4) a fic I haven’t touched since like June so I forgot what it was about but I know it exists LMFAO 5) late birthday gifts for my friends bc im bad with deadlines 😭) so anyway pls send braincells i need em 🫡

[onovnii]

Headcanons of Levi Mammon and Asmo reacting to their boyfriend coming out as a trans man plz? 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️

# mc comes out as trans

feat. mammon , leviathan , asmodeus x m!mc

summary. how the brothers react to you coming out to them ^^

cw. none, just fluff! 

author n. i wish i had more trans mc hcs 😭 i love writing them bc..i’m trans too 😏. unrelated (but related) but my personal hc is that all the obm cast isn’t cis. they’re not even human 😭 (besides solomon but i hardly think he cares) *umibe no etranger fans heyyy

coming out can always be challenging. without knowing the other persons views, it can be scary too.

it takes you a while to get the courage to tell him. you rehearse the scenario over and over in your head, hoping it goes smoothly.

after sending him a text, saying to meet you in your room, you take a deep breath to calm your nerves. your boyfriend came into the room a few minutes later and sat beside you, asking what was wrong.

you hesitated a little, but you trusted him. deep down you knew he’d love you regardless of what you identified as.

mammon.

▸ it took a while for the information to settle into his head

▸it made you kinda nervous tbh......

▸ but once it did, mammon pulled you into a hug.

▸ he could tell this was important to you, and wanted to show that it meant even more to him as well.

▸ he’s really happy to know you trusted him enough to tell him.

▸ i mean of course, he’s your first after all!

“i can tell this is real important to ya so, let me know if i can help, yeah?”

▸ keeps his word :)

▸ if you told him before you began transitioning, mammon helps with whatever you need.

▸ need a binder that’ll fit? he’ll look for the best one!

- want shorter hair? he’s got you covered— er… well not him exactly, he’ll probably just ask asmo. but still !!!!

▸ you can even borrow some of his clothes if you want !!

▸ hell, he’ll take you shopping for some of the best outfits too. whatever fits your preferences!

▸ gotta keep his man up to date on the latest trends! :V

▸ if you’re on T and are comforting with it, he’ll even help you with that too :)

▸ idk if this counts as nsfw 💀 buuuut if you wanted, he can get you a few packers if you’re feeling especially dysphoric down there. 

▸ if you’re planning on getting surgery, he’ll be with you throughout the whole thing !! …though mammon will be a little nervous about you going into surgery… he keeps looking at medical failures and silently hopes yours go well.

▸if you do get top surgery... well, mammon gets a little panicked every time he sees the scars...how much did it hurt?? are you okay??? if you’re insecure about them he knows how to make them less visible....

▸ he’s just worried !! not used to seeing humans post-op, specially not ones he cares about.

▸ he does however help you save up for any other surgeries you want :) 

▸ if you wear binders...he’s a bit aggressive about your binder 🧍🏽

▸he read about how unhealthy it is for humans to wear it for too long and he got reaall nervous about it

▸ what do you mean it can hurt your ribs??? what the hell?? how long have you been wearing it for-

▸ he sets up a timer…😭 if you wear it for too long he’ll get fussy about it.

▸ he’s just worried…he convinced himself you’ll die if you wear it for two days straight 😭😭 (me)

▸ every little milestone is celebrated :)

▸ you grew facial hair?? your voice is a lot deeper? you got surgery??

▸ he’ll congratulate you and treat you like an absolute king.

▸ mammon loves you, to the moon and back. no matter what, you’re still his mc, through and through.

▸ he’ll do this regardless but he’s always showing you off...... like.... “look at how much better my boyfriend is compared to yours!! lol!!” he’s insane let him be.

▸ if anyone gives you a hard time he’ll get real protective about it. like sure, he trusts you to hold off on your own, BUT- if they’re persistent...then he’ll be there to take care of it for ya lol

▸ on the days your dysphoria is especially bad, he’s there reassuring you about every little insecurity.

▸ if it’s like “shark week” he’s going to be even more affectionate! always there with whatever you may need. 

▸ he’s got your back! always.

leviathan.

▸ his first thought is “same”

▸ nah but he understands! he knows what it’s like to be uncomfortable in your own body and wishing you were built a different way.

▸and then it dawns on him...you told him something so personal....

▸ levi holds back his tears after realizing you trusted him with this information. (forgive him he’s not used to being confided in like that hhasjhd)

▸ for a while, he doesn’t really react. he’s not sure how to.

▸ eventually he puts a hand on your shoulder and reassures you he loves and accepts you.

▸ it doesn’t really change his views on you. you’re still his henry! (he does start comparing you more to henry rather than ruri-chan. subtle difference but it’s sweet)

▸ on days when your dysphoria is especially bad, levi surprisingly is such a great comfort.

▸ you never have to tell him, he somehow already knows.

▸ it’s like he can sense the negative emotions or something.

▸ either way, levi will always invite you to his room.

▸ you need someone to vent to? he’s listening to every word.

▸ you just want a distraction? he’s the KING of distractions.

▸ knows how to get your mind off things easily.

▸ games, anime, shows you like, or just lounging around n’ talking, anything! despite his reserved nature, levi knows how to keep a conversation rolling. 

▸ if you do decide to vent, he asks if you want to just confide in him or want advice.

▸ if you just want him to listen, he’ll do so without any interruptions. 

▸both of you will sit for as long as you want in his bathtub, while he absentmindedly plays with your hair (if u let him lol)

▸ if you want advice on anything, surprisingly he’s got a bunch. levi’s dealt with his own gender issues in his life before.

▸when you’re the living embodiment of envy, its hard not to be jealous of others- especially when they were born in a way you weren’t.

▸he tells you what helps him either feel less dysphoric or helps him calm down when things get especially bad

▸helps you try like a thousand things before you find ur own special niche that helps :)

▸ levi knows what its like to drown in self doubt and negativity, and hates seeing you go through something similar.

▸ it’s hypocritical of him, sure, but he’ll always reassure you of any lingering concern you might have.

▸ if you’re doing voice training, levi’s real good at that!

▸ he went through a phase where he wanted to be a voice actor…so he knows some basic things.

▸ levi’s actually really good with hair! he can style it to whatever style you want, cut it to any length!

▸perks of being a cosplayer ig....

▸ like mammon, every milestone is celebrated.

▸ throughout your transitioning, (if you haven’t already) he’s there every step of the way, encouraging you, telling you that he loves you and that he’s proud.

▸ he just hopes he can become some sort of comfort for you.

asmo.

▸ when having the conversation about it, he’s the most serious he’s ever been.

▸ asmo listens to everything you have to say, not interrupting you at all.

▸ it’s a little unnerving, honestly.

▸ but once you’re finished talking, he smiles and hugs you.

▸ his hug is tight and full of love.

▸  he thanks you for telling him, happy to know you trust him enough to tell him.

▸ out of the three, asks a lot of questions!

▸ he just wants to know what you are and aren’t comforting with anymore.

▸ you like certain terms? a certain set of pronouns? done and done! he’ll keep it all in mind.

▸ helps a lot with your transitioning! especially if you want to transition socially.

▸ asmo understands the concept, but never truly gets gendered clothing.

▸ but if it’s something that’ll help, he’ll gladly let you into his closet or take you out shopping!

▸ no matter your preference, masculine, feminine or maybe even an androgynous look, he’s got you covered!

▸ like levi, he also specializes in voice training! no special reason, he just does.

▸ he’ll invite you over to his room for voice training lessons lol (but if you want the more professional approach, he’ll hook you up..somehow)

▸ asmo’s nothing but loving! his affection helps you feel a little less insecure about your own body. 

▸ he gives out a lot of praise too! on days you’re feeling euphoric, or just happy about something relating to your gender, he’s there congratulating you for it.

▸ asmo knows the importance of self love and what a bad self esteem can do to someone.

▸ so naturally, he just wants you feeling your best always!

▸ constantly complimenting you. 

▸ but when words of encouragement aren’t enough to help you, that’s okay too.

▸ he’ll hold you, kiss the crown of your head and tells what he loves about you.

▸ on your worst days, he’s there. asmo’s great at comfort, whatever you need he’ll get. 

▸ especially if it’s something relating to your totm. makes you feel like an absolute KING

▸ if anyone misgenders you, he’s the first one to get on they ass for it tbh..

- val

[archonoelle]

noelle, the true geo archon

call me meechee. i’m 22 & use she/they pronouns

C A U T I O N

this blog contains adult content, therefore if you are a minor, or don’t have your age in your bio/pinned post, i will block you if you interact.

blank blogs will also be blocked. it’s really not that hard to change even your profile picture

additionally, bigots and pro-lifers are not welcome here.

i mainly reblog fics and art. sometimes i shitpost. mostly genshin/honkai star rail, occasionally obm & hq. tag system is clapped, sorry.

b l o g t a g s

#🥀 indicates suggestive/smut

#🔆 indicates fluff

#🌤 indicates hurt/comfort

#🌧 indicates angst (very occasional)

i won’t be writing anything substantial, i just hope to support my favourite writers :)

[yandere-daydreams]

okay but i love the idea of simeon (obm) trying to keep his darling pure and incorrupt from the demons; if they are corrupt then they can’t follow him to the celestial realm. so instead, he kidnaps them and locks them up until the exchange program is done, he’s constantly teaching them how to be a good person and how to repent for their sins, so once they die they can join him. somehow they escape and are sent to the human world but simeon sneaks his way into becoming their guardian angel.

I figured I should get back to requests with a little Simeon, if only because I’m really, /really/ hoping he’s in some of the new chapters. Consider this self-indulgent, at best, and only loosely related to the actual request, at worst. I like to stay on-brand.

Title: Safe-Guard.

TW: Imprisonment, Mentions of Kidnapping, and Mentions of Death.

~

You used to wonder why Simeon prayed.

You knew why Luke did. Whenever he was nervous or scared or more frustrated than he usually was, you could hear him muttering to himself, repeating the same verse of stilted latin until his temper cooled and he could get back to berating the reason for his distress. It was reassuring, to him, an involuntary, familiar way to comfort himself that he undoubtedly thought would show his commitment to whatever higher-power there was to listen. Simeon didn’t need something so childish, though. His prayers were hushed and mumbled, but they weren’t hasty or rushed or symptoms of an anxiety he had yet to grow out of. It wasn’t like Simeon needed to show his devotion to something holy, either, not from your perspective. To you, he was something holy.

He was still something holy, if you were being honest with yourself.

Even after everything he’d done, interrupting his little rituals felt wrong, like your interference would pervert a ceremony you had no right to play a part in. It didn’t help that you were so far below him, like this, sitting on the floor as he perched himself on the edge of your bed, the silver shackles wound around your ankles and wrists only working to cement your situation, the engravings carved into their metallic surface keeping you bound to whatever space Simeon desired you to occupy. Currently, that was one of the spare rooms in Purgatory Hall, one smaller than Luke’s or Solomon’s and far enough from the rest of the bedrooms to make all your screaming and yelling useless. Not that anyone would come, even if they did hear you. If Simeon said you were fine, you were fine. He was an angel, after all, and such a beautiful one, at that. There wasn’t a person in the world who had reason not to trust him.

“Is something wrong, (Y/n)?

His voice caught you off-guard. So deep in your own thoughts, you hadn’t noticed when his gentle mantras stopped, his beaded rosary falling into his left hand with a limp, ceramic rattle. He was facing you, now, watching as you pulled your knees to your chest and willed yourself to melt into the wall, your mind only bothering to process his questions after it floundered under the weight of his gaze, the intensity of his sudden concentration. You swallowed something jagged and thick, but you didn’t try to stop yourself from replying. You didn’t try to force yourself into disobedience, not when you didn’t have to. “I don’t know,” You mumbled, the answer coming more quietly than you would’ve liked. “I think someone might’ve kidnapped me, but I’m not sure. I think I’m being held hostage when I don’t want to be, and my captor keeps asking me why I’m upset.”

He clicked his tongue, curling his fist around his rosary before tucking it into some unseen pocket of his seamless, draping get-up, but he was smiling, his neutrality akin to pleasant amusement, the expression warm and vaguely condescending. “Such a shame,” He noted, his tone laced with faux-sympathy. “Maybe if you answered this captor of yours honestly, he wouldn’t have to ask so often.”

You pursed your lips, staying silent for a second or two, but a witty response alluded you as swiftly as you lost the will to find one. “I still don’t know why I’m here,” You admitted, somewhat hesitantly. “You said you were afraid the brothers would hurt me, but that wouldn’t drive a person to imprisonment. No one resorts to kidnapping because they’re scared.” You still couldn’t quite bring yourself to blame him, not aloud. He deserved your rage, you deserved to be furious, but for whatever reason, you’ve staved off the anger like an illness you’d never recover from. It was a coping mechanism, you guessed. You didn’t really want to find out if it was anything more than that. “I want an explanation. A real explanation.”

He sighed, the sound wistful, just a little disappointed. With a shake of his head, he stood, taking a moment to survey your position before letting himself fall to your side. Even on the floor, just as low and stooped-over as you were, he held himself with an air of casual grace, his posture strung with such an enlightened levity, he hardly seemed to have to hold himself up at all. It never failed to make you stare, if only for a moment. It wasn’t enough to make you love him, but it made him impossible to resent, your turmoil only getting worse when he bothered to look at you, his small smile instantly morphing into a soothing grin. He didn’t touch you, but you almost wished he would. If it was kind, you could melt into him, find solace in the reassurance that he wasn’t going to hurt you. And if it wasn’t…

If it wasn’t, you could stop hating yourself for wanting to hate him.

“I wasn’t lying,” He started, the declaration weighted despite his apparent light-heartedness. “I am trying to protect you. When I leave this place, I plan to take you with me. The Celestial Realm would make such a lovely home for us, and while I don’t expect you to grateful for the dislocation…” Another sigh, this one more of an unconscious exhale. He trying to be as honest with himself as he wanted to be with you. “You’ll be safe. Your world is difficult, it’s messy, and the Devildom isn’t any better. I don’t trust it to take care of you, not like the angels would.”

Not like he would. His selfishness was well-masked, but it lingered just below the surface. Dark and brewing, but deniable. “You could’ve asked,” You tried, weakly. “This isn’t my world, and I still have months before I’m supposed to go back. The Devildom is dangerous, but the brothers--”

“Demons corrupt.” It was a forceful interruption, one that left you equal parts concerned and confused. You moved to speak, but his hand found yours before you could, silencing you with a slight squeeze. Just tight enough to let you know he wasn’t finished. “Lucifer and the others mean well, but they’re… They fell for a reason. The more time you spend around them, the more you’re tempted to be like them. You would’ve become reckless, bloodthirsty, disobedient. They would’ve taken your soul and ruined it.” He forced himself to stop with a ragged inhale, a deep breath to remind himself not to let his explanation turn into a rant. As rigid and as disciplined as always, even in his moments of weakness. “You can be purified, but their intervention would make it near-impossible. If I let a demon get to you, if I let one touch you, the best I could hope for would be a cold reception. A warm welcome would’ve been out of the question.”

“Even then,” You said, tensing not but daring to pull away. “It’s not like I can stay with you. I’m not a demon or an angel, I’ll have to go home eventually.”

At that, every trace of his inhibition disappeared. “Not as you are,” He corrected, intertwining his fingers with yours in earnest, raising your hand and pushing a slow, easy kiss into the back of your wrist, just above your glinting cuff. If you were being hopeful, you’d call the gesture apologetic, but you weren’t nearly optimistic enough to assume he was remorseful. “Things can change, love. Humans are such beautiful creatures, gifted with the ability to ascend in exchange for their mortality. You’ll need a guiding hand, sure, but I’m patient. We have more than enough time to make the right arrangements.”

“And if I don’t want to be an angel?” It didn’t take a genius to guess what he had in mind, nor did it take any great amount of empathy to understand why you weren’t as pleased with his plans as he appeared to be. “That’s not what I… I’ll have to die, Simeon, won’t I? You’ll have to--”

Before you could finish, his lips were pressed against yours, stunning you into a frozen, paralyzed silence. It wasn’t an aggressive kiss, his touch tender and nothing short of loving as he cupped your cheek, urging you to come closer, nor did he stop you from pulling away when you finally remembered you could move. Rather, he only slipped down to your neck, his face soon buried in the dip of your shoulder. He hadn’t denied it, he hadn’t even tried, but you didn’t push him too.

The wide, giddy smile soon pressing against your skin was more than enough of an answer for you.

[kbstories]

Blank Slate (I’ll Write Your Name)

Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Hostage Situations, Brainwashing, Aftermath of Torture

>>> Read on AO3

This one-shot was originally published as “Blank Slate” in the MGS F/anthology “Our Beloved Monsters” (OBM)!

Teaser under the cut!

The Intel team works in shifts, a fresh set of hands replacing the ones trembling with exhaustion. A few constant fixtures remain: Snake, of course, all those miles away infiltrating the enemy base with precision, like a deadly virus infecting their systems slowly but surely; Quiet, eyes locked on the video feed which shows a series of dark vents, sewers, corridors, her earpiece jacked into the comms that transmit whisper-soft steps and even breathing; and the Commanders on radio support, the heart of the operation.

It’s through them that the Intel team finds its focus, the final filter between Mother Base and Big Boss. Currently it’s Miller manning the radio, relaying the newest info Ocelot handed him a few minutes ago before he went to take a break, stretch his legs.

Miller’s in his element, that much is clear from his attentive posture and the light banter he maintains with Snake, full of references only they understand. Quiet doesn’t know how exactly their partnership came to be nor does she care to find out – the important thing is that Diamond Dogs works because of it, both men in synch despite the distance. Trust is what makes the difference between life and death. It’s because of this that Snake and Miller have survived. Others have not.

A muffled curse in her ear interrupts Quiet’s thoughts; she snaps upright, refocusing on the large screen displaying Snake’s progress. The sounds of struggling, strained grunts–

The feed flickers to static.

All hell breaks loose.

>>> Read on AO3

[with-love-from-hell]

5 Sides of Human

{Part Ten}

Genre: Mixed

Character profiles for the Mc’s featured in this series

WC: ~5.1k

CW: time skipping from main plot (I’m not doing certain parts of the canon story and/or are doing them out of order because I didn’t like them the way they were and it’s my story so there lol), brief appearance of Mephistopheles (but no spoilers), anxiety, depictions of anger and verbal aggression, sarcasm,  suggestive, love triangle, Storm has a stutter but I am not depicting it with written word consistently, pining, spoilers for season 1&2!

Part nine   <<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>    Part eleven

“Man...how’d I get stuck doin’ this?” Mammon mumbled, dragging his feet slightly behind Storm and No. 2 as they approached the entrance to the carnival.

“Well I can’t say I mind much though, because this means I get to be with Storm!” Little D No. 2 mocked, pretending to voice-over Mammon’s thoughts.

“Aye, quit it!” Mammon grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I thought I told ya to keep yer mouth shut!” 

Storm ignored their bickering, gazing up at the huge Ferris Wheel that stood adjacent to the gate. “It always amazes me that y’all have similar stuff in Devildom that we do in the Human realm.” 

“They got stuff like this in the Celestial Realm too.” Mammon smirked, turning his attention away from No. 2. He watched her gaze float around the tent-tops and various rides. “One time I took Beel and Belphie to a carnival under Michael’s nose, ‘n they were so happy...but then they wandered off and I couldn’t find them. It was a real pain in the ass.” 

“Probably because you weren’t keeping an eye on them in the first place.” No. 2 giggled, skipping happily along in front of the pair. 

“Shut it, pipsqueak.” Mammon gritted his teeth. “Remember, we’re doin’ ya a favor here! Ya should give me some respect!” 

Storm chuckled, shaking her head as Mammon attempted to scold the small demon, who was clearly not paying attention to anything he was saying. The carnival lights twinkled in the foggy night sky, creating a lazy hue of green, yellow, and purple over the pavement. Each tent held some sort of activity or food, and the air was filled with an aroma of fried food. The sounds of laughter, boisterous carnies advertising their games, and vacant chatter filled the streets, creating an abnormally full atmosphere in the usually quiet streets that surrounding the large park in the center of town. 

“So, What brings Diavolo and Lucifer here on an investigation?” She pondered aloud, trailing her fingers and the thick canvas tent they passed by. 

“Ohoho! Apparently it’s something very scandalous and exciting!” No. 2 turned to face them, now walking backwards blindly into the crowed. “You see, there’s this rumor that the carnival is actually a front for an illegal casino!” 

Mammon cleared his throat, turning away to try to hide the guilt plastered over his face. Storm took no notice, instead shrugging her shoulders in response. 

“I mean, isn’t that kind of what carnival games are already? They’re always rigged as fuck, and you’re basically placing a bet on whether you can win the game. The only difference is that you get a shitty prize instead of the bets placed.” 

“W-well, it’s not like I know anythin’ about some illegal casino o-or nothin’ of course.” Mammon swallowed hard, darting his gaze between No. 2 and Storm, who both raised an eyebrow at him. 

“We didn’t ask if you knew anything...” No. 2 narrowed their eyes, causing Mammon to begin to sweat nervously. 

“A-actually, y’know what? I completely forgot that I got this, uh...thing...to do tonight, so...I-I can’t come with ya to find Lucifer and Diavolo after all!” Mammon turned on his heel, beginning to speed walk the other direction. 

“Wha- wait!! Mammon!” Storm turned, jogging to catch up with him. “You can’t just leave me here!” 

“W-well, Lucifer’s here...he’ll find ya eventually.” 

“That’s not very responsible of you, Mammon...” No. 2 scolded. “Losing both of us in one day? It’s a wonder you don’t get turned around in your own house.” 

Mammon growled, turning to try to walk away again. Though, he stopped when he felt a gentle tug on his jacket sleeve. He felt his face heat up as Storm’s hand slipped into his, her fingers curling around his own. He swallowed hard and coughed into his arm to hide the growing heat on his cheeks. 

“Mammon, please...” Storm murmured, trying to fight off the ruminating fears of being left alone, surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar place. “Please stay...” 

Mammon groaned, stealing a glance into Storm’s shimmering icy eyes. Maybe it was the twinkling lights that gave her the cutest puppy-like expression he had ever seen, but regardless of the reason, he found it near impossible to refuse her. “Agh, Dammit...Fine. I’ll stay, okay! Ya happy now?! And stop lookin at me like that!” 

No. 2 let out a high pitched laugh, nearly squealing in delight. “I love how you’re such a pushover Mammon!” 

“Shaddup!” Mammon snapped, pointing threateningly at No. 2. “Ya best watch yer mouth, pipsqueak, or yer gonna have a date with the underside of my shoe!” 

Storm smiled, squeezing his hand to get his focus back to her.  “Thank you, Mams.” 

Mammon snorted in faux disdain, turning his head away as the blush darkened. “whatever, let’s just find them and go home.”

They walked side-by-side through the gates of the carnival, trying to see if the fur on Lucifer’s coat collar or the bright red pattern on Diavolo’s suit-jacket could be seen amongst the crowd. Suddenly, a bright flash of light caused both Storm and Mammon’s vision to go white for a moment, creating spots around their vision as they rubbed their eyes clear. 

“Oi! What the hell was that!” Mammon darted his vision around, trying to get a glimpse of what had flashed right in front of them. 

“Aw, what a perfect picture for the Newspaper club Devilgram,” The magenta-haired demon before them remarked, before snatching a polaroid out of the fanny pack at his side. “That’ll be 100 Grimm.” 

“Excuse me!?” Mammon snapped. “Mephisto! What the hell’re ya doin?!”

“Now now, Mammon. It’s his job to take your picture...and then pressure you into buyin’ it.” No. 2 chuckled, snatching the photo from Mephistopheles’ hands and running off with it. 

“No. 2! Get yer tiny ass back here!” Mammon yelled after the demon, attempting to run after him only to be caught by the collar. 

“I believe I said you owed 100 Grimm.” Mephistopheles growled, holding out his other hand for payment. 

“I didn’t ask ya to take our picture!” 

“Well, they seemed to want the photo,” he smirked. “Besides, I’m sure such a cute couples picture will make many folks quite jealous.” 

“C-couple?!” Mammon stuttered, his face turning red once more. “W-well...I...” 

“It’s fine, Mammon. I got it.” Storm sighed, digging in her purse and fishing out a large golden coin. “Here. Thank you for the picture.” 

Mephistopheles snatched the coins out of Storm’s hand flashing her a fake smile. “The pleasure is all mine, human.” 

"Uh, you know my name. It’s Storm.” She corrected, narrowing her eyes at him. Mephistopheles ignored her, strolling off with his camera already pointed at newly arriving visitors. She sighed, turning back toward Mammon, only to fine he had ran off. She saw the tips of his snowy white hair near the entry to a nearby game, rushing over to meet him there.

“...And Storm looks crazy cute, doesn’t she? So you should really be thanking me for forcing you to buy it!” No. 2 squirmed around in Mammon’s iron grasp, trying desperately to escape his hold. 

Mammon’s gaze appeared to be transfixed on the photo as Storm approached from behind him. “Hmm...well, I guess it did turn out pretty good...” 

“You can say she looks cute, c’mon!” No. 2 teased, kicking Mammon in the chest. “I know you’re thinking how much you wanna smooch her!”

“Stop that!” Mammon shook No. 2, causing him to be a bit disoriented. “Stop sayin’ what I’m thinkin’ out loud!” 

Storm blinked, surprised to hear Mammon admit to having thought she was cute. She’d be lying if she’d said she hadn’t had a crush on him in the past. She thought Mammon was sweet at times, but her interest in him diminished the more his insults and degradation stung her already sensitive self-esteem. Her breaking point was after the incident in the catacombs, where he had told her to die if he couldn’t be the one to save her. The comment wounded her more than anything he had said to her before, and it still haunted her thoughts to this day- particularly when he was being incredibly cold toward her. 

“Um...” Storm squeezed near Mammon’s side, taking a look at the picture, “did it really turn  out good?” 

Mammon jumped, letting out a yelp when he felt her presence near his side. No. 2 fell to the ground with a grunt as Mammon’s grip on him faltered. Storm glanced at the picture for a moment, not really seeing how her half-closed eyes and blurry arm coming up to shield her face could be counted as ‘cute.’

“Listen, I know this is a really forward, impolite sort of question, but just out of curiosity...” No. 2 batted their eyelashes, “Storm, Mammon...Are you two dating?” 

Mammon coughed aggressively at the unexpected question, his face immediately burning crimson at the question. He watched Storm out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge how she would respond. He knew that they weren’t dating, but he hoped deep down she would say yes- just to spare him the embarrassment of having to ask her out himself. 

“What..? No.” Storm shook her head, her voice flat. “Why would you think that?”

Mammon’s expression dropped, feeling hurt that she had said ‘no’ so plainly. 

“Right, of course you’re not.” No. 2 began laughing maniacally. “He is Mammon, after all. You could do much better, Storm.” 

“Wait, what!?” Mammon snapped, attempting to snatch No. 2 up by their neck once more, but No. 2 dodged his grip.

“Well, Storm! As long as you’re single, what do you think of Lord Diavolo, hmm?” No. 2 nudged her forearm playfully. “I can assure you, he’s quite the catch, and he’s very rich so you wont ever have to worry about money. And he’s such a hunk- I mean, those Muscles?! Phew-wee! Plus you will have the very attentive Barbatos as your own steward as an added bonus!” 

Storm blinked a few times, trying to process what No. 2 had said after speaking so quickly. Before she had a chance to speak, Mammon butted in. 

“There’s so much messed up about what ya just said that I don’t even know where to start.” Mammon huffed, stuffing his hands back in his jacket pocket. “Ya really think someone like Storm could get with the prince of Devildom?” 

Storm flashed Mammon a hurt glance, causing him to immediately glance down in shame. There’s a moment of tense silence between them, before No. 2 suddenly gasps. 

“Oooh! Look! They have a crane game over there!” They skipped giddily toward the tent, tugging Storm’s pant leg along with them. “Oh! And check out the stuffed animals inside. Those are zombie iguanas, one of the hottest items in Devildom right now!” 

“Oh, they’re cute!” Storm noted, following No. 2 toward the booth to get a closer look. 

“C-cute? Those things??” Mammon scrunched up his nose. “Their so ugly!” 

“They’re so adorable I can barely stand it!” No. 2 squealed. 

“You two certainly have weird tastes...” Mammon scoffed, finally catching up to them at the booth.

“Mammon! I want one! Win one for me! Pleassseee?” No. 2 begged, hopping up and down in front of him. 

“What!?” Mammon barked, shaking his head. “No way! We’re s’posed to be finding Lucifer and Diavolo! No playin’ games!”

“C’monnnnnn! Papa! Please please Papa! I want one so bad I can barely stand it! Pleeeaaassee!” 

“G’AHH! Fine!” Mammon threw up his hands, grabbing the baseballs sitting on the booth counter. “If it gets ya to shut yer damn mouth, I’ll do it.” 

He tossed 20 Grimm to the carnie before whipping three balls at once toward the totems stacked at the end of the booth’s range. After knocking over the totem on the first attempt, Mammon presented the zombie ignuana doll to No. 2.

“Eeeeee! Finally!” No. 2 clutched the doll tightly, spinning around with it. “My very own zombie iguana! Thanks papa! I love you soooooo much!” 

Mammon kicked No. 2 away as he tried to hug him. “Quit callin’ me papa, dammit! I barely had any money to begin with and now I’m really poor!” 

Storm giggled as No. 2 writhed about on the floor, happily singing about their new iguana. 

“Hey...uh, Storm...” Mammon pulled her aside, shoving another zombie iguana in her arms. “I feel bad about sayin’ what I said earlier...y’know, about you ‘n Diavolo...so I managed to nab an extra plushie and...here. It’s yours.” 

Storm smiled, accepting the plushie carefully. She squeezed it lightly, finding comfort in the give that the soft spandex material and light stuffing allowed. Her smile grew warmer as she looked into Mammon’s eyes. “I love it. Thanks, Mams.” 

“I-I wasn’t tryn’a win it for ya or nothin’...it just...happened, okay?” Mammon turned away, beginning to walk the other direction as Storm called out to No. 2 and followed behind him.

“I’d assume if there was an entry to a hidden gambling den, it would be in plain sight, wouldn’t you agree?” Diavolo murmured to Lucifer as they walked into the gates of the Carnival, narrowly avoiding Mephistopheles and his Newspaper Club photo op. 

“If I know anything about Mammon and demons like him, that much should be true.” Lucifer glanced around, hoping to spot some suspicious activity right off the bat. “Though I will say, Mammon has a knack for being sneaky, so we shouldn’t rule anything out. While it may be obvious, we don’t want to underestimate their intelligence.” 

Diavolo chuckled. “Intelligence, huh? That wouldn’t be the first thing to come to mind when thinking of Mammon. 

Lucifer held back the urge to glare at the prince for insulting his brother. “Yes. Mammon can be dense in a lot of ways- that is surely true- but If there’s one way he shines it’s with numbers, and he is quick with it too. I’m assuming we must be looking for something related to numbers, or the passcode is something to do with numbers.” 

Diavolo nodded, impressed by Lucifer’s ability to so obviously dot on his brother’s strengths despite his cold exterior toward them normally. They first walked around the perimeter of the park, then worked their way inwards, interviewing carnies for what they may know casually, and watching more seedy demons make their rounds of the carnival. After an hour, they both sat for a break. 

“Would you like anything to eat, Lucifer? I may help myself to some Black Tapir bacon on a stick.”  Diavolo hummed at the thought. “I figure this can be some time for you to review the evidence we’ve gathered.” 

Lucifer shuddered at the thought, finding the choice in food to be atrocious. “I’ll do fine with a bottle of water, though I don’t like the idea of you wandering off. I’ll join you.” 

“Nonsense. I will just be at the booth here- so sit back and rest for a moment, would you? Just looking at you is giving me back pain.” Diavolo laughed and sauntered off to the booth only a few feet away, Leaving Lucifer alone near some benches and tables. 

With a resided sigh, Lucifer sat and pulled out his notes, flipping through the comments scratched onto the paper. He sighed, rubbing his temple as he tried to put the pieces together, but the constant pinging of his phone was becoming incessant enough to push him over the edge. He quickly pulled out his DDD in an attempt to silence it, only to see a flood of notifications in the group chat with his brothers. 

--

Asmodeus:   Did you guys see the picture RAD Newspaper’s Devilgram just posted!? 

Beelzebub:   No. Why?

Asmodeus:   It’s Storm and Mammon! Their on a date!!!! 

Satan:    😲

Belphegor:   😲

Leviathan:   Lol no their not, stop joking around. Mammon and Storm? Come on now, she’s smarter than that.

Asmodeus:   I’m serious! Go look!

--

Lucifer found his curiosity piqued, and immediately went to his Devilgram app. What had originally intended to be a simple silencing of his notifications turned into a hunt for the post Asmodeus was talking about. After scrolling for a few moments, he found the picture, immediately feeling his heart plummet into his Stomach.  The photo was blurry, and seemed ordinary for the most part, other than the obvious way Storm and Mammon were holding hands as they entered the carnival together. 

Lucifer gritted his teeth, feeling jealousy well up in his stomach as the notifications in the group chat kept pinging, each brother expressing their interest in disrupting the date. Lucifer felt half a mind to search for them as well- to interrupt their date, or even ruin it by taking Mammon away for questioning about the Casino. For a moment, he felt an evil smile curl onto his lips when imagining pulling the two apart from each other, but shook it away when he realized how petty it was. 

Storm is only a human. There’s no reason why she should make you feel this way, and you certainly don’t need to be jealous that one of your brothers has her on their arm...

...And yet...

Lucifer sighed as he tried to push away the conflicting emotions welling in his chest. He muted his phone, shoving it deep into his pocket just as Diavolo plopped down on the bench across from him, fried tapir in hand. 

“So, any leads yet?” Diavolo handed Lucifer a bottle of water before tearing into the tapir, continuing to talk with his mouth full. “The Carnie near the haunted house seemed suspicious.” 

Lucifer nodded, though winced when some of the tapir flew out of Diavolo’s mouth and onto the table. “I was thinking about circling back to the area and looking around.” 

Diavolo nodded. “Then I suppose we should maneuver our way back there.”

Lucifer nodded, taking a sip of his water. He decided to keep the fact that Storm and Mammon were present at the fair a secret for now, and perhaps he would run into them near the haunted house- given it was not far off from the entry of the carnival, and the photo on Devilgram was merely 20 minutes old. With Mammon’s distractibility and desires to impress Storm, he figured they could not have gone too far into the Carnival yet. 

Storm anxiously walked closer to Mammon’s side, having found herself growing more unsettled the larger the crowd around her got. A passing family rushed past toward the popcorn booth, causing Storm to stumble into him. 

“Whoa, hey now. Careful, Storm.” Mammon steadied her upright. “What’s the big idea? Cant ya walk straight?” 

“S-sorry Mammon.” Storm rubbed her forearm. “I’m just not fond of crowds.” 

He let out a heavy sight, snatching Storm’s hand in his. “ Alright, well...I s’pose someone outta keep ya safe. Stay close to me, got it?” 

“Oh, uh...Thank you.” Storm smiled politely, gripping his hand tighter. 

“Oh how cuuutee!” No. 2 squished their cheeks. “It’s like you two are star crossed lovers!” 

Mammon groaned. “I almost forgot we had this pipsqueak taggin’ along...It makes serarchin’ for Lord Diavolo much more annoying”

“Where should we look for them next?” Storm glanced at the nearby attractions, standing on her tippy-toes to try to see over the crowd. 

No. 2 jumped up and down to try to see as well. “Well, if we knew where the Casino was, maybe we’d find them faster.” 

“It moves every year so that’s gonna be a challenge.” Mammon shrugged. “That’s how they avoid being caught.” 

“You seem to know a lot about this Casino Mammon.” Storm raised an eyebrow at him. 

Mammon averted his gaze, stumbling over his words. “N-no! I don’t know nothin’!” 

“Maybe they went into one of the attractions...like that!” No. 2 rushed off through the crowd, pausing in the doorway of a large building. “C’mon!”

Storm and Mammon glanced at each other briefly before rushing after No. 2. The hall they entered into was dark, only lit by a single, flickering red light. Mammon gulped as they passed by a thick black curtain, seeing the walls coated in what appeared to be splattered blood, and hanging skeletons lining the ceiling. 

“W-wait, what are we doin’ in a haunted house!?” Mammon yelped as his shoulder grazed a spooky-looking statue. 

“Well the Casino was in the house of Mirrors last year, which is right next door. So I was thinking maybe they’d move it here!” No. 2 skipped off, their voice echoing down the corridor as he beckoned them toward him. 

“Hey- No! Get your tiny ass back here!” Mammon shouted, wincing when his voice reverberated off the walls. He began to whimper, clutching Storm’s arm. “I wanna go home! Now!”

“Mammon, relax.” Storm squeezed his hand. “We’ll just go through it quick and get it over with.” 

Mammon groaned, hiding behind Storm as they walked through the maze-like house. Mammon winced and yelped at every jump scare that came from every crevasse, jerking Storm’s arm violently with each action. The house was cheesy to Storm, having been in many of haunted houses scarier than this in the past. She wondered if perhaps the demons did haunted houses like this mostly for fun or as a laugh, but it was clear that things like this definitely did scare certain demons.

“M-m-make sure ya don’t let go of my hand, got it!?” Mammon squeezed tightly, causing Storm to wince in pain. “No matter what!” 

“Don’t worry. I wont.” Storm tried to give him a reassuring smile through the discomfort of having him gripping her so tightly. “We’re almost half-way through, so hold on.” 

“T-thank you Storm. Ya don’t ever let me down and it’s just...amazing. I definitely don’t tell ya that enough.” Mammon yelped as a skeleton suddenly dropped in front of him with a loud cackling laugh, bumping into Storm and nearly toppling her over to the ground. Storm managed to catch him and realign him upright, now wondering if his idea of holding hands was more for his sake than hers.  

He pushes her along toward the next room, hugging Storm so tightly to where she could barely move or breathe. She was about to give a response, but as they approached the next doorway, A small figure jumped out with a boisterous, ghostly ‘Boo.’

Mammon screamed at the top of his lungs, causing Storm to wince in pain at the shrill noise triggering her tinnitus. He lurched forward, jumping over No. 2, who lay on the floor in the doorway laughing maniacally. Unfortunately for Storm, she was dragged along with him, stumbling and tripping to the floor on top of Mammon. 

“L-let go, Storm! I know I said not to but I changed my mind. I need to get away- NOW!” Mammon tried shaking her loose, aggressively whipping her arm around.

“Ow- Mammon! Fuckin’ Stop!” Storm yelled, smacking him in the chest. “It was just No. 2! Calm the hell down!” 

“How could you possibly be frightened by that?” No. 2 cackled, leaping onto Mammon’s lap. “That was pathetic. Seriously.” 

Mammon paused his movements for a moment, before again trying to pry his hand free from Storm’s. “Ah- wait. Storm! I can’t let go!” 

“Oooh how romantic!” No. 2 teased, only to be flung off of Mammon’s lap and into the adjacent wall. 

“No, not like that. I mean our hands are stuck together- Look!” Mammon tried once more to yank his hand free, causing Storm to curse loudly at the sound of her shoulder popping. 

“Fucking OW! I believe you, alright! Now stop before you yank my arm out of it’s damn socket, Mammon!!” 

“Is it some kind of curse or somethin’!?” 

“Well even if it is, we can just have Lucifer lift it so you’ve got nothing to worry about.” No. 2 brushed himself off and approached, helping Storm and Mammon to their feet. 

Mammon let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine, but we better find them quick then. Lets get out of here.” 

Several minutes of wandering around the house turned into 10, then 20. Storm grew more and more agitated the more No. 2 tried playing on Mammon’s fear, having her arm jerked in several directions and Mammon’s shrill screaming echoing through her head. The area behind her eyes pulsated in pain, threatening the production of a migraine if she didn’t get out of this situation soon. Eventually, they came across a blood-stained room, the floors of it covered with various fake limbs, organs, and other body parts. Mammon jumped, nearly clinging to Storm like a koala as a voice echoed over the loudspeakers from above. 

“Within this chamber, the strength of your bond shall be tested.”

 Storm narrowed her eyes, glancing around the room to take stock of her surroundings. 

“To know each other is to know yourself. So let us find out how well you know each other...” 

“What the hell is it talkin’ about.” Mammon whined, hugging Storm tighter. 

The voice went over the instructions, indicating the “game” they would play was similar to that of a gameshow. It would ask 2 questions, and each would have to be answered correctly by the individual asked. If any question would be answered incorrectly, they would be killed by a hoard of zombies. 

“Wait, we’re not seriously going to die over some game...right?” Storm glanced at Mammon nervously, who merely shrugged his shaky shoulders. She sighed, straightening her posture. “Fine. Bring it on.” 

“Storm, wait! I-” 

“First question,” the voice continued, “Storm- answer me this. Mammon once won a figurine as a prize in a convenience store campaign. having no interest in it, he left it on the floor of his room and forgot about it. What was the name of the figurine?”

“What? That’s a stupid question.” Storm murmured in annoyance, crossing her arms. “How the fuck am I supposed to know that? And what does it have to do with our bond?!” 

“You have 5 seconds to answer.” 

“I think it was Seraphina, or something..? I don’t fucking know!”  

“Correct.” 

Mammon raised his eyebrows, impressed.  “Wow, I didn’t even remember that.”

“Mammon, I just guessed.” Storm grumbled, annoyed at this seemingly useless test. 

“Mammon, your turn. Answer me this.” Mammon shuddered, gripping Storm’s hand tightly. “During the group retreat at the Demon Lord’s Castle, Storm danced with Lucifer. Who did she dance with after him?” 

He blushed, turning his gaze downcast. “That would be Solomon.” 

“Correct.” 

Storm raised an eyebrow at him. “And you remember that...why?” 

Mammon rolled his eyes in anger. “’Cuz I asked ya to dance first!! But then Lucifer butted in and then-” 

Storm shook her head. “Okay, whatever. It doesn’t matter. We got our questions right, so we’re free to go then...right?” 

“Unfortunately for you, I have no control over the zombies.”

“Wait, what!?” Storm yelled angrily as the door they entered in burst open, spewing thousands of grotesque looking undead creatures into the room. The quality of whatever spell or animatronic was behind them increased 10-fold, causing storm to finally become alarmed at the thought of being torn to shreds.

Mammon screamed, burying his head into her neck. For once, storm accompanied him- stumbling backwards and gripping him just as tightly. 

“Storm! If we die, I just want ya to know that I love you! M-more than I have ever loved anyone!” Mammon squeaked into her shoulder as the groans and roars grew closer. 

Before she could answer, the noises suddenly stopped, and the room they were in completely changed. Before them was the exit, the sign above shining in bright green letters over the doorway. glimmers of light could be seen around the edges of the curtain, and the sounds of laughter and chatter could be heard from outside. Mammon quickly pulled Storm through, again jerking her around rather roughly. They stumbled outside, both panting in sync with the now relieving tension caused by that final scare. 

“Jesus, that was fucked up.” Storm coughed, brushing her hair out of her face as she tried to regain her composure.

“Oh hey! There you are! Finally!” No. 2 sauntered up to them. “You guys took so forever!” 

“What the- Where the hell were you!?” Mammon roared, pulling No. 2 up by the neck, pausing when seeing the sweet treat in their hands. “And where the hell did you get ice cream!”

No. 2 giggled. “I got it while I was waiting for you, duh.”

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU, RUNT.” Mammon screamed, shaking No. 2 aggressively.” 

“Ahh! Wait!” No. 2 yelled, dropping the ice cream and shielding their face. “I found Lucifer and Diavolo while I was waiting for you!” 

“Oh yeah? And where are they?” Storm asked, unamused by their lack of presence. 

“Th-they’re over by the roller coaster!” No. 2 paused. “Or...maybe by the bumper cars.” 

“So that’s what this is about then.” Storm shook her head. “You just wanted us to take you on the rides and pay for it because Barbatos wouldn’t let you come here.” 

No. 2′s expression dropped as they twisted their fingers together. “Y-yeah...I’m sorry...But I’m not lying about Lucifer and Diavolo being somewhere at the fair!” 

Storm sighed. “Whatever. Regardless, I think I need a break to sit for a minute.” 

“Me too. Let’s go over there.” Mammon pointed in the direction of the Ferris Wheel briefly before dropping No. 2 and tugging Storm along. “And ya ain’t comin’ with us.” 

Mammon stuck out his tongue and made a fart noise at No. 2 as he and storm scrambled into a cart at were immediately lifted into the air. Storm held her breath, unsure if Mammon knew that this wasn’t her idea of taking a break due to her fear of heights. 

“Heh, good thing we finally managed to lose that lil’ brat.” Mammon snickered, looking out into the skyline. “And check out this view. You can see all of Devildom from up here!” 

“Mmhm. Yep.” Storm swallowed hard, staring at her feet to avoid seeing how high up they were. “Very pretty.

Mammon slouched in his seat breathing a content sigh. “Y’know, everything is so much more fun when yer around, Storm. It was so boring without ya here.” 

Storm scoffed. “Really? I don’t really believe that. I’m nowhere near as exciting to be around as Sarah or Fern.” 

“Well, they’re fun too...but in a different way.” Mammon squeezed her hand. “I mean it when I say things were boring without ya.” 

Storm bit her lip and nodded, catching Mammon’s glance briefly before staring back down at her feet. The rest of the ride was completed in a tense silence, the excitement from today already catching up to her before they again touched the ground. 

[with-love-from-hell]

May I request a small drabble for mammon comforting reader who's still scared and upset about the happenings of chapter 16? I can't imagine that anyone would be able to get over that as quickly as mc in the story seemed to.

Hi anon! Sorry it took so long to get to your request! I can certainly do this (:

WC: ~600   | written for a gn!mc (you/yours) | Genre: hurt/comfort  | CW: spoilers for lessons 16+, anxiety, intrusive memories, PTSD, swearing

“Oi, Mc! Open up!” 

Mammon knocked repetitively against the door, finding it odd that you had locked yourself away. Usually, your room was more fitting of an open-door policy with the way he and his brothers often barged in on you- and typically, you were more than happy to receive them. Since Belphegor’s attack on you though, Mammon began to notice you withdrawing more and more from the family- especially with Belphegor’s pleading for you to help him fit back in. 

He paused his knocks, leaning into the door to listen. He heard some shuffling movement and the sound of uneven breath, but not much else. Deciding that he was going to come in one way or another, he decided to put the new lock-picking spell he learned a few weeks ago to the test. Effortlessly, the door slammed open, clearly surprising you as you jolted up from bed. 

“Mc, what the heck’s the matter with you!?” Mammon scolded as he tried to calm the door’s erratic movement. “I ain’t seen ya all day and ya promised we’d-” 

The sound of a stifled sniffle caught his attention and he whipped around to look at you. His heart sinks, having now seen your clearly distressed state. The sight of your puffy face- nose raw from rubbing and eyes blotchy from tears- was enough to bring the urge to cry up within him. Mammon’s expression softens as he approaches you, sitting down slowly on the edge of your bed and placing a hand delicately on your calf.

“Hey...Whatcha cryin’ for, huh?” He attempts to coo to you, but the phrasing of his words still come across a bit calloused. 

“N-nothing.” You rub your arm across your nose again, wincing slightly at the pain you felt at once again rubbing the tender flesh. “Don’t worry about me.” 

Mammon scowls, squeezing your leg gently. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere ‘til you tell me what’s eatin’ ya.” 

You sigh, finally residing to telling Mammon about how hurt you were by Belphegor’s actions all those weeks ago, in tandem with everyone moving past it so quickly. The continuous fear you expressed to having gone through daily since the incident was somewhat surprising to him, as you always presented yourself so calmly. He wondered if maybe he should have paid closer attention to you- to pick up on these things sooner. After all, it’s not like he’d moved on much from that night either- his unconscious slumber still haunted by the life leaving your eyes and Belphegor’s sickening laughter before he’d awake in a cold sweat. 

“‘s okay Mc.” Mammon embraces you, letting you cry into the crook of his neck. “It totally makes sense why ya haven’t been able to let go of that.” 

“I just feel like an asshole.” You sniffle. “I said I forgave him, but I don’t know if I actually do.”

“Aye, you ain’t no asshole.” Mammon remarks, wiping a tear from your cheek with his thumb. “My brothers are assholes. But not you. You’re the sweetest thing to ever live in Devildom, ya here? I won’t here none of this bad talk about yourself.” 

You chuckle, but the small smile falls again into a frown. Leaning your head on his shoulder, you let him caress you as you listen to the sound of his heartbeat. Mammon’s hand rubs soothing circles around your back, easing the ache in your chest when you thought about leaving the sanctity of your room. 

With Mammon at your side, things no longer seemed so scary. 

[with-love-from-hell]

headcanons for an Mc with cptsd and the brothers accidentally trigger them? (Not during the actively violent parts in the Canon game....just little things that remind them of trauma.)

Ah yes! I can definitely do this! As someone with C-PTSD, It is something I see in fics a lot that I havent ever felt relatable to my own experience so I will try to reflect that in here for anyone else who's experienced the same thing in the fandom! (I've been thinking about making this into a series as well but its on the backburner for now until I finish the main two I'm working on)

The Brothers Accidentally trigger Mc's C-PTSD

Fandom: Obey me

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Headcanons

Written for GN!MC

CW: C-PTSD, panic attacks, Self-injurious behavior (e.g. hair-pulling, head-banging, scratching), implications of past abuse, somewhat suggestive on Asmo’s part, spoilers for lessons 16+

Lucifer

He, frankly, has no idea how we got here.

One minute they were fine, but the next Mc is shaking violently and sobbing.

When he tried to approach uou for comfort, you began screaming "No" at him and completely backed yourself as far away as possible

Lucifer is usually pretty insightful but it will take him a few minutes to figure out what it is he did wrong.

Eventually he will realize that it was the way he raised his voice at Mammon after he tried to swipe one of his priceless vases from the common room.

He will approach you slowly, soften his voice as best he can, and try to calm you down by getting you to take deep breaths.

He won't get too close at first for fear of having you bolt on him, but as you come down from the panic he will slowly inch closer.

Once you're lucid enough, he will apologize and ensure that aggression was not directed at you, and that he wasn't going to hurt you.

Lucifer will also offer you physical comfort if you want, holding his arms out for you.

He will completely abandon all of his tasks and take you to either his room or the study, and will spend the rest of whatever is left of the day listening to calming music with you.

He will make you whatever your calming drink of choice is (tea, coffee, hot coco, warm milk, etc) and ensure you're drinking enough water.

He will play games with you as a distraction. Chess, checkers, cribbage, mancala...(really whatever game you want to play)

He will also ensure you have some tactile comfort, whether that be a feather from his wings, one of the plushies he won you from the Carnival, or the gyroscope in his office.

If you want to talk about it, he will be there to lend an ear. Really he wants to learn more about you and other humans, so this will be something he is very intently listening too. He may ask some questions, but will only have you answer them if you feel comfortable doing so.

He will ask what your triggers are so he can avoid doing something to hurt you- even if they go against his usual nature.

Expect him to be very careful from now on, chosing his words carefully and watching his tone the next time he gets angry at one of his brothers and you're around.

Mammon

He really doesn't mean what he says when he insults you. He just is too embarrassed to admit how he feels.

But when he tells you your useless and stupid for the hundredth time, it finally makes you snap.

He stands there dumbfounded after you run away from him sobbing, not really knowing what to do.

After he snaps out of his daze, he immediately goes to find you. He had gotten into the habit of the insults, and you would never really give a response other than a wince and going quiet.

Well...now that he thinks about it, that's maybe a sign it has been grating on you.

He finds you in your room, sobbing relentlessly on the floor with your arms scratched up to hell and back.

At first he panics- seeing you hurt yourself terrified him. He rushes over to you and tears your nails away from your arms.

When you begin to beg him not to hurt you and profusely apologize for being "just a stupid fuck up", his heart breaks.

He would apologize relentlessly and admit to you everything- why he insults you all the time, how worried he was, how much he loves you.

He would do his best to calm you down (I say do his best because he may end up making it worse before he realizes what you need)

From here on out, he definitely would be more mindful of the insults, trying his best to be open with you about his feelings, or at least be more gentle with his teasing.

There may be times when he slips up, but he makes sure to atone as best his can

He would also be very sensitive to when others insult you, making sure to immediately come to your defense. He would also take you aside afterwards and remind you just how much you mean to him, how smart you are, how helpful you've been to everyone, etc...

Levi

In hindsight,  Levi should have seen this one coming...Of course he would fuck everything up

He wanted to be closer to you, but he remembered that being closer to someone entails you seeing his deeper flaws...and well...his impatience and easily triggered frustration are definitely some big ones.

But even so...your reaction to him throwing his controller and yelling when he dies the thousandth time on his new game seemed to be way over the top.

One minute you were sitting excitedly in the chair next to him, watching him game...and the next you were literally cowering in the furthest corner of his room and shielding your body from him as best you can.

He tries to approach you, but your screamed apologies for what you'd "done" to "make him angry" make him halt.

After a few moments of gears turning, it clicks to him that you've experienced something like this before...but directed at you.

Cue the festering guilt. He never meant to hurt you...damn these video games, you're more important to him than some stupid boss fight.

He will likely text one of his brothers (either Lucifer or Satan) and ask what to do, because he is terrified of hurting you more.

Once he has an idea of how to help though, he will be very calm and gentle, albeit nervous. He will likely offer you tactile comfort- like his Ruri-Chan pillow, or letting you pet his tail.

Once your comfortable enough, he'd hold your hand and make sure you know you've done nothing wrong, and that this is something he needs to fix himself.

And he will work on it, but it will take a bit of time. Old habits die hard for Levi, so he will have to be very intentional about his work on his irritability, and will probably opt for easier games when you're around to avoid outbursts.

Satan

This is the exact situation he'd feared would happen.

It really was an accident...and Satan knew that. But he just couldn’t help getting angry when you knocked over a stack of rare books... especially after one of the books ended up ruined by one of his absentmindedly placed candles. 

His room was always a mess, and even he knocked over the stacks of books littering the floor from time to time...and besides, he was the one who insisted you come to his room to read because he found the clutter in his room more comfortable, so he knew a lot of the blame fell on him. 

Regardless, he was so used to lashing out at others and blaming them for his upset, that his anger came out directed toward you. 

He impulsively snapped at you, scolding you intensely for being clumsy, careless, and unaware of your surroundings. 

He regretted the words the minute they fell from his mouth as your eyes grew misty with tears and your body began to tremble...He must have raised his voice louder than intended.

He tried to apologize immediately but you flinched when he approached. His heart ached when he say you jerk your body away from him so violently, as if you were afraid he would lay a hand on you. 

He stood, dumbfounded, as you ran from the room in a fit of uncontrolled sobs and shuttered breathing. 

He caught up to you quickly though, because- in your re-activated state- you became disoriented in the spiraling halls of the HOL. 

He found you on the floor in the music room, curled up against the Grand Piano as you rocked yourself back and forth and cried. 

He would hesitate to approach you, worried he may frighten you more...but after hearing your hyperventilating become worse, he sucks back his anxiety and approaches you cautiously.

He would sit next to you- as close as you’d allow him to get- and gently reassure that you were safe and that he wasn’t going to hurt you. 

He would try to help guide you through some circular breathing exercises, finding that doing it with you helped ease his worry as well. 

Once you were breathing evenly again, he would apologize about his reaction to the accident, taking the responsibility of ensuring his room is free of hazards that could get in anyone’s way regardless of if they were clumsy or not. 

If you weren’t able to talk, he would try to help you communicate how you could - squeezing his hand to yes/no questions, ASL if you know it, or in drawing/writing.

He would offer to go on a walk if you still found yourself activated, doing his best to help you back down mentally. If you didn’t want to leave the house, he’d have you help him make some tea and some baked goods to distract your thoughts.  

Satan would definitely opt to read in your room or the library with you more often than not because he cant trust himself to ensure his room is clean enough, and he tried his best to continue improving his anger-management techniques he learned from some self-help books. 

Asmo

Asmo is a bit confused as to what’s happening with you, and that fuels his own worry. 

Did he do or say something wrong? One minute he was kissing you on his bed, making slow efforts to explore your body...and the next you’re screaming for him to get off of you and to stop. 

Obviously he listens. He wouldn’t ever dream of hurting you. Just the thought of it tears him up inside. 

He tries his best to comfort you- trying to hold your hand, give you a hug, or give you sweet kisses to calm you down, but it ultimately makes things worse. 

It isn’t until you lock yourself in his bathroom that he starts to try to put the pieces together. Once he realizes you’re experiencing reactivation, he will feel terrible for not figuring that out sooner. 

He wont intrude into the bathroom, but will speak to you through the door. He will do his best to present himself in a non-threatening way, reassuring you that he isn’t going to hurt you like others had in the past and apologizing for not recognizing what you needed. 

After he hears your sobbing cease, he will announce he is entering the bathroom. Asmo will be very careful in opening the door slowly, announcing his every action before he does them. 

When he sees the fistfulls of hair stuck to your hands and scratches littering your face and neck, he will have to fight the urge to wrap you into a tight hug- reminding himself how that only worked to make the flashback more real. 

He will ask to touch you before he does. If you give him permission, he will gently stroke the areas where you had hurt yourself, muttering healing spells over them as he does.

If you try to talk to him, he hushes you. He doesn’t want to hear any apologies for the trauma response and he want’s you to rest yourself in every way. 

He will offer to draw you a bath if you’d like, not pushing you to even have him in the room while you relax in the warm water. 

If you want him there, of course he’d be there though. But if not, he won’t give any objection. Instead, he will gather as many soft things onto his bed as he can, and get anything you need to feel grounded. 

Soothing music or sounds? It’s queued up. Sensory toys? He’s already grabbed a bunch from your room. Calming oils/scents? He’s lit 40 candles already, don’t you worry. 

After you get out, he will help you into a nest of blankets and pillows and hold onto your hand while you relax, doing what he can to help. Anything you ask of him, he’s right there to grab it- and he is going to always be reassuring you that he’s not mad or upset with you. 

Beel

He didn’t really expect this to happen when he gathered you in his arms for a tight hug after having a long day at RAD. 

Perhaps it was the hazy gloom in his mind that made him forget to ask permission before touching you- like he usually does. He would ask to touch you out of courtesy before and wanting to respect your personal space, but now realizes he needs to do it every time because of this. 

The minute he wraps his arms around you from behind In the hallway, you yelp loudly and squirm out of his grasp. In the process, you manage to contort your body in such unnatural angles in a desperate attempt to get away from him...so much so that he’s worried you seriously injured yourself. 

But when he reaches out to your shoulder, you yelp once more and back yourself as far away from him as you can. 

Everything about you looked and felt panicked. The labored breathing, wide eyes, relentless tears, and shaking body. 

Beel felt his own nervousness rise at your response. He hadn’t intended to hurt you, and he was worried you thought maybe he was trying to. 

Against his better judgement, he reached out again to try to comfort you. This time though, you jolted backwards, slamming your head against the lockers behind you. 

Beel panicked, fighting the urge to cradle you in his arms while also trying to make sure you were okay. 

Before he could really make any concrete observations though, you began screaming at him to get away from you- catching the attention of other demons in the hall. Beel would also be panicking, desperately trying to look around for one of his brothers to help. 

Likely either Satan or Lucifer would be the ones to calm you down, getting you grounded back to reality by taking you into a less crowded play (Satan would likely bring you to the library, Lucifer would bring you to his office). 

Beel nervously looks on while they practice the grounding techniques with you, taking note of how to help you in the future. 

After you’ve calmed down, he would profusely apologize to you for not realizing he had hurt you and having no idea what to do. Even if you say you forgive him, he still feels very guilty. 

He would be open to talking about your triggers and identifying what helps when you are reactivated. He would also go out of his way to learn more and teach his other brothers should they accidentally trigger you as well. 

Belphie

Well, it is simply said that whoever your MC is with C-PTSD...seeing Belphie in general is probably a pretty huge trigger. 

For the sake of these headcanons though, lets just say that you were able to move past the whole “He killed you in a very gross way and then tried to act like nothing happened” bit that is canon in the game, but that sometimes him cuddling you too tightly triggered you pretty severely.

He would be uncertain how to respond when you suddenly seize up and go completely catatonic when he tries to cuddle up next to you in the attic when you both lay down for a nap. 

And Belphie would probably notice pretty quickly. He’s very observant, especially when it comes to you and Beel. 

He thinks at first he may have squeezed you a little too tight and you were just uncomfortable. He may crack a joke about you needing to relax because a firm pillow just isn’t comfortable, right? 

But he casts all jokes aside when your body begins shaking violently beneath him, and he sees your thousand-yard stare with tears cascading from your eyes like waterfalls. 

At this moment, he panics. He doesn’t know what’s happening, and he’s very scared. At first he may think you’re having a seizure. 

When he brings his hands to your face to try to hold your head still, he becomes even more concerned with the way it sounds like you can’t breathe. 

He would ultimately call on one of his brothers (likely Beel) to help. Once Beel is able to get you to calm down (thanks to what he’s learned from Satan and Lucifer), Belphie would be eerily quiet.

During Beel’s attempts to get you to relax, Belphie overheard him quietly murmur that Belphie wasn’t going to hurt you again, and that would ultimately shatter his heart. 

Sometimes he forgets just how much damage he’s done to your psyche, despite the fact that you had forgiven him. 

He would probably leave- at least for a bit- because he’s worried about re-triggering you. You would either have to seek him out again yourself or get Beel to bring him back to you. 

After a long talk with many apologies on his end, you’re able to make peace with it. Belphie understands he can’t undo what he’s done, but he wants to learn how to make things easier for you. 

He will do what he can to help you when you’re triggered, and get whoever you think is the most helpful at helping you down from reactivation- because he knows it wont be him. 

He would also make an intentional effort to be even more observant of your moods and physical movements for signs that you may already be in an elevated state that he may make worse. 

Overall, he just really doesn’t want you to associate him with the terrible things he’s done anymore...but he doesn’t blame you for it. 

[with-love-from-hell]

Headcanons for how the Lucifer, Mammon, and Asmo, and Diavolo would each react to a demon trying to grind on Mc when they're out at the fall? The demon continues trying to make a move on them n stuff even after they say back off or maybe they try to spike their drink or something? I love your work!

Thanks for the request!

Mc is Harassed by a Demon at the Fall

Fandom: Obey Me!

Characters Featured: Lucifer, Mammon, Asmo, Diavolo

Genre: hurt/comfort, headcanons

Written for a Gn!Mc

Cw: Sexual Harassment/Assault, swearing, alcohol use on Asmo's part

Scenario: Mc is out for a night at the Fall with the demon in question. Throughout the night, Mc is pursued by a particularly  ballsy demon. Mc tried their best to avoid/turn them down, but they were annoyingly persistent. When he catches on though, the demon is definitely in for it. 

Lucifer would notice almost immediately that a lower demon was tailing the two of you throughout the night. 

He figured the demon wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to hurt you, so he didn’t do anything about it until you tried saying something first. 

(Despite wanting to protect you, he knows you have your own boundaries and can stand up for yourself). 

If he notices your mood begin to sour, he will try to talk to you about it and ask if you need help putting the bastard in his place. 

If you tell him yes, he will tell the demon to fuck off in as threatening a way as he can. 

If you tell him no, and that you can handle it, he will trust you, but will keep an eye on you throughout the night. 

When the demon tries to touch you though, he snaps. 

Immediate demon form, getting right in the demon’s face, and shielding you behind him while he roars at them to stay away from you. 

After the demon finally takes the hint and scurries away, he will check to see if you’re okay, and will probably take you home. 

He prefers a quiet night in with you anyway. 

Diavolo would probably be having too much fun to notice anything immediately, but if he sees you turning around and talking to someone frequently he will begin to pay attention. 

He will try to tune into the conversation over the loud music and he may only get key lines like “not interested” or “leave me alone” out of what you say. 

He will immediately wrap his large arms around you and give a wide toothy grin as he grinds on you. He may even let his hands wander a little freely. 

(Basically, he’s signaling to the other demon that your spoken for.)

If that’s not enough to deter the demon from trying to pursue you, Diavolo will quickly text Barbatos to have the demon “taken care of” as he tows you off to a booth to sit for a minute. 

He will apologize for being handsy but explain he was trying to protect you. 

Basically will be fine with staying or leaving, whatever you want to do. He wants to make sure you’re comfortable.

Asmo would probably be too absorbed with his fans dancing closely around to catch a demon trying to make a move on you, even after you indicate your disinterest. 

(and let’s face it, he’d probably be blasted too, so his awareness is down pretty far)

You would probably have to get his attention into what was going on by pulling him away from the crowd for a moment. 

Once he sees you’re concerned though, he would immediately stand on defense for you. 

Screw his fans, you’re more important than them. 

If the other demon still wouldn’t let up, he would probably get very pissy with them, even going so far as hissing if they got too close and maybe even lashing out violently depending on how drunk he is

He wouldn’t want to leave, but would if the demon wouldn’t stop trying to harass you, he would reluctantly take you home. 

All he wanted was for you both to have a fun night, and this shit head ruined it. >:(

Oh well, there’s always more parties, more events at the club, and more dancing you can do- even in the privacy of his bedroom

...that is, until Lucifer turns off the power when you both are too loud. 

Mammon probably notices just as fast, if not faster than Lucifer would. 

He wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off of you in the club, so any demon trying to come onto you or grind on you was sure to be noticed right away. 

At first he just growls and turns both your body and his away from the demon, and he gets mad when the dick head wont take the hint that you’re spoken for.

If the demon tried to grind on you again, he would be screeching like a damn banshee. 

He was RIGHT. THERE. The audacity the demon had to try to touch you again right in front of his face! As if they think he’s weak or something??

He would lay into them verbally to try to get his message across, but if they don’t take it seriously and try to touch you again, someone’s arm is coming off. Literally. 

You both would probably find yourselves banned from the fall after he tries to argue with the bouncer over why ripping another demon’s arms off was justified.

He’s pissy about it at first...but ultimately he gets over it because he’s still with you

He’d probably just take you on a walk, loudly complaining about how the whole club scene was bullshit anyways and he “didn’t even like it there” to begin with, but you know he’s hurt. 

Maybe holding hands with him will make him feel better...or maybe will just fluster him enough to snap his mouth shut. 

[with-love-from-hell]

Hello, I was wondering if you would be willing to write a specific situation with Lucifer, Barbatos and Simeon where the reader used to receive all kind of abuse for years, and feels like they are not worth any kind of good things happening to them. As in, they will unconsciously just reject it, or feel like it's for being polite. I'm sorry if it's too sensitive or something. Thank you for writing

Hi there anon! I absolutely can do this, but I am going to change the wording a bit and make this more a headcanon set for how these three approach an Mc with RSD - which is similar in how you are describing the characteristics of Mc here.

For those of you who don't know, Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is a way to describe a cluster of symptoms that occurs within folks who are neurodivergent and/or have experienced extensive trauma, in which they have a strong sensitivity or fear of social rejection, criticism, or any sort of sense that they are being rejected socially. Some of the symptoms that this includes is low self-worth, emotional volatility, social anxiety, difficulties feeling connected to others, social withdrawal and pushing others away, and disbelief/distrust of affection or positive feedback. For many years, it was believed this was only something that could be passed through genetics in folks with ADHD, but now we have a better understanding of the symptoms and mental health, we know that RSD can exist within a variety of mental illnesses, such as ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Trauma or Stress Disorders, and Eating Disorders!

Also, I decided to add headcanons for other Obey Me! characters too, given that I have a feeling that will be asked for eventually.

How they comfort an Mc with Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria

Fandom: Obey me!

Characters featured: Brothers & Datables

Genre: Comfort

Written for a GN!Mc (you/yours pronouns)

CW: Allusion to/brief mentions of past abuse but vaguely, RSD, social rejection/exclusion

Note: Though I do have a masters degree in Psychology and clinical training in treating a variety of mental health issues, I am not your therapist, nor is this fic intended to take the place of professional help. If you are experiencing any type of crisis, please seek support from a professional. Utilize the HelpGuide.org to get connected to the appropriate helpline, both in the US and internationally. 

Diavolo

Diavolo at first would be surprised that you tend to push his affections away and come off to him as cold, but that doesn’t mean he stops giving you affection!

He will keep offering you kindness and mild flirtation despite that because that’s just who he is! 

Though, this may backfire for him if you see him acting similarly with others. But you cannot ignore the fact that the way he treats you makes you feel special!

But often you question if you deserve it, and anyone who you’d bring this question to would tell you Diavolo is head over heels for you. 

If you finally decide to bring your insecurity of being rejected to him and your past history of rejection/neglect/abuse, he would double down, doing his best to prove to you that you are worthy of his love (and you are!!) 

He will probably become a lot more physically affectionate too, if that’s something you’re okay with- like lots of hand-holding and hugs for sure! 

He will also give you tons and TONS of verbal validation that he loves you (either platonically or romantically, however your Mc fits in with him!) 

Overall he’s really good at his reassurance, and does his best to rid you of your rejection fears- at least with him! He will also try to validate and ensure that others want to be around you too as best he can, though this may be harder to believe.

Barbatos

Barbatos’ cold demeanor makes him a bit harder to be vulnerable around, and it makes sense that you fear he hates you or doesn’t want to be around you when his life revolves around the prince of Hell. 

Out of habit, you try not to get close to him despite the fact that it pains you to push him away, but you’ve convinced yourself any type of relationship with him isn’t worth it.

Over time, Barbatos will be concerned with the fact that you seemingly bypass him or act very surface-level around him, but he’d be lying if he didn’t say he hadn’t noticed it with the others too. 

He tries his best to grow closer, but it all just seems like he’s doing his “job” to you. Eventually though, he will figure this out.

He would approach you about it, but gently- probably inviting you on a tea date and asking what keeps you at arms length.

He knows of your past already given his insight into your life prior to you coming here, but he would still let you talk at your own pace and not make assumptions should you decide to open up about it to him. 

Even if you decide not to open up to him, he will try harder to reaffirm the fact that he does love and admire you- perhaps still not saying it with words, but with more obvious actions- like inviting you over for tea dates, taking more specific time out of his schedule for you, learning about your tastes and making foods specifically palatable to you, etc. 

Simeon

Simeon is smitten with you so quickly, so at first he may be hurt that you are so closed off and withdrawn. 

After a while though, he will connect the dots and realize it’s not necessarily something he’s doing wrong, but due to your past experiences of people rejecting you and lying to you. 

He would sit you down to talk to you about it, maybe being a little pushy about you opening up to him, but he just really wants to understand what he could do to make you feel loved.

He delivers on his goal though, and will do anything to get you to believe him when he says he cares about you and wants you around, even going so far as to write you letters weekly and leaving them in the HOL mailbox for you to find and read over. 

He will also be much more in tune to your moods and offer whatever you may need in that moment- particularly if you’re isolating from others despite wanting interpersonal closeness. 

He will make an effort to always spend time with you and engage in your hobbies, and make room for you to engage in his as well- ensuring that the activity is much more fun when done with you. 

Solomon

Solomon is a bit more on the flirtatious side, so he may come off as just a sleeze ball at first when you meet him- resulting in you not taking any of his complements seriously. 

Once he realizes you are dismissing every single compliment thought, he gets concerned- especially because he means every word. 

He isn’t as in touch with his emotions as he used to be- living that long can sometimes jade a person. 

He wont confront you on it, instead realizing that there is probably something in your past causing you to react that way and he will aim to rectify his actions appropriately. 

If you decide to come to him though, he wont turn you away. He will listen intently and offer apologies for anything he’s said or done that had triggered your RSD. 

He will try to be more genuine in his compliments, and work with you on actually believing them instead of shrugging them off. 

He will also be more ready to stand at your aid when one of the brothers tease you- reminding them to watch who they’re insulting especially if they don’t mean it. 

Belphie

Belphie would hate to admit it, but he understands the feeling to a degree. 

He always feels like the odd one out amongst his brothers and friends alike, feeling that people are always annoyed with his low energy and random sleeping spells. 

It may take awhile for you to be convinced that he means it when he says he wants to spend time with you- mostly due to, ya know, everything. 

But over time, you would surely notice how his cuddles with you are so much different than his cuddles with his brothers- there’s a desperation to them, as if he’s afraid you’ll leave him. 

If you decide to talk to him about it, he will be very open and honest in telling you that he can relate, and ensure you that he loves and cares about you despite everything. 

Honestly, even just the talk alone may qualm your anxieties. 

He is always open to reassure you, and you may even help each other with your rejection sensitivity- taking turns asking for reassurance when it’s needed and providing validation when the other needs it would surely strengthen your bond.

Beel

At first, Beel really just thinks you want nothing to do with him or the rest of his family when you push them away and reject his attempts at getting closer.

After you sacrifice yourself for him in the catacombs though, he knows that you care about him and wants to do so much to show you he does too.

Beel has a pretty stoic face, so sometimes its hard to tell when he is expressing genuine emotion. The difficulty in reading him may make some things come across differently than how he intends. 

When he seems to not make any progress with your relationship with him, he will confront you on it- maybe a bit too directly. 

If you decide to open up to him, he will be very present in listening to why you have a hard time believing others care. 

He will wrap you in the tightest of hugs and assure you that he truly does care for you- and there’s probably not a single person he cares for more outside of his brothers like you. (expect lots more hugs from now on)

He will do his best to work on expressing more emotion outwardly, and showing you love through gift giving, acts of service,  and quality time- like inviting you to the gym, doing things for you without being asked, or bringing you treats from his outing to Madam Screams

With each action, he will finish it by saying he loves you, and each one will be wholly genuine. (I definitely can see him saying it almost as much as Asmo)

Asmo

Asmo is stunned when you don’t accept/believe any of his compliments. 

He has tried everything to convince you he is being genuine, and yet you still pull away from him.

Eventually he will be so starved for you to return his affection that he will come to you practically sobbing, wondering why you arent as enamored with him as he is you. 

Obviously this goes without saying, but it’s hard to accept the embodiment of Lust’s attempts at affection at first when you’re almost certain that all he wants from you is sex, and he doesn’t really care about you as a whole...right?

Well, you would be wrong actually. 

But Asmo doesn’t realize that’s where your heads at, so when you tell him, he sort of gets a wake up call and realizes that the genuine compliments mixed with intense flirting maybe wasn’t the best approach to take. 

From here on, a lot of the flirtatious comments are kept at a minimum, and he often reassures you of more things about you that he likes other than just your appearance or your body. 

Asmo will finish every action by stating, matter-of-factly, that he loves you and cherishes every moment you spend together. 

After awhile, it will be pretty difficult not to believe him. 

Satan

Satan is pretty aloof, especially when you are first getting to know him, so he doesn’t bat much of an eye at first when you’re a bit distant. 

Though once he warms up to you, he is a bit shocked that you are constantly avoiding his attempts at building a closer relationship to you. 

He will be especially shocked when you degrade yourself in response to his words of affirmation and attempts at romancing you

He will probably attribute it to things he personally had done- like the threats he made when he tried to force you into a pact with him

He will confront you about it quite bluntly, wanting to get to the bottom of it right away rather than letting it fester.

Once you open up to him, he will take in everything you say, immediately reworking how he approaches you in his brain. 

He’s very gentle in his reassurance that he cares about you, and that he appreciates you for who you are.

He will be very patient with you, and do whatever it takes to reaffirm you that you mean the world to him. 

He will also give more platonic physical affection (like hand-holding, snuggling, sitting close to you, etc) and make more of an effort to go out of his way to spend time with you, even digging into his brother’s quality time.

Levi

Oof, this boy hard relates to you and honestly would probably experience his own form of RSD given all he does in game with the self deprecation and difficulty accepting compliments

Honestly, he’s probably the one you would grow the most attached to given that he seems to mirror your avoidant responses and has a difficulty maintaining friendships with others

Though his comments on you being a normie and the “umm actually” attitude he has on occasion will wear on you, so he will be half surprised when you become more distant, but again his own rejection sensitivity will lead him to believe it’s because you don’t like him. 

I imagine any confrontation about the situation will have to be spur of the moment, and I can see either of you nervously blurting it out at each other (and it goes something like this)

After a long talk, you both would form a sort of kinship regarding your RSD, and this would probably bond you both pretty close. 

He’s not much for verbal affection, but he will try his best to reassure you he cares about you and loves you, and will work on reducing his own self-deprecation and accepting compliments if you promise to too.

Mammon

Mammon is completely oblivious to any signs that you are avoiding his attempts at getting closer or are triggered by his constant degrading.

He really does love you, but how are you to know when he constantly calls you stupid or useless, even if he doesn’t mean it and his brothers try to reassure you that his love for you is obvious.

It gets worse when he actually does start showing you more affection and slowly opening his true feelings to you and try to be physically close to you more. All this does is confuse you, and continue your internal cycle of thinking you’re misreading signs and actually are a nuisance to him

It will probably take a you having a break down in order for him to finally get it through his head that his words are actively hurting you and triggering your RSD

After he learns, he will feel SO terrible. Expect many apologies, tight hugs, and maybe even some tears from him as he understands more and more what you’ve been put through

From here on, he’s much more cautious in thinking over his words before he speaks, being sure that he’s not going to say anything to hurt you. 

It takes awhile and he does make mistakes, but he does his best to rectify them. 

Expect lots of make-up gifts, often things you had mentioned you wanted or needed in passing, with a formal apology and genuine iteration of how he loves you and would be lost without you.

Lucifer

Lucifer is another who is pretty aloof at first, and you wouldn’t be wrong in automatically assuming he wants nothing to do with you.

Though, after everything you’ve done for his family, he does want to get closer to you, despite the fact that his exterior is still calloused around his brothers

This may result in a lot of confusion for you. On one hand he is very soft when you’re alone, praising you and telling you how much he loves and cares...but on the other, he is distant and sometimes straight up neglectful around others.

Unintentionally, he is repeatedly triggering the RSD. He has some awareness into the fact that it impacts you eventually, but he can’t quite put his finger on it.

He would probably try to approach you about it, being overly blunt, which may come across as accusatory, so I wouldn’t be shocked if it would push you into a breakdown. 

Lucifer would soften after this and provide a nearly overwhelming amount of comfort. He will rub your back, snuggle you, give you some gentle kisses to your forehead or knuckles, and give a lot of verbal reassurance and apologies for how he’s acted. 

Once you open up, Lucifer is very receptive and will ask what you need in regards to reassurance that he does care and love you. 

He won’t automatically make assumptions, but if you’re not sure, he will try a variety of different things- like holding your hand or being physically close to you in public, more words of reassurance, taking time off work to spend time with you, gift giving, etc.

No matter what you say, consider it done- even if it may take a stab at his pride, because you’re worth sacrificing his sin for. 

[with-love-from-hell]

Family Line

Fandom: Obey Me!

Characters Featured: Lucifer

Written for a GN!Mc, (you/yours, they/them pronouns used)

Genre: Hurt*/Comfort

Wc: ~1.2k

Cw: abusive parent (father), mentions of emotional and physical abuse, resentment and relationship grief, *leaning WAY into the hurt on this one, noted Mc has siblings

(Here is a version with my Mc, Storm)

》A/N: I wrote this fic with the song Family Line by Conan Gray playing.

Lucifer paced slowly down the hallway of the second floor of the House of Lamentation. The nightly routine to ensure all his brothers were still accounted for in the wee hours of the morning was tiring, but it was the last task he needed to complete before turning in himself for the night. As per usual, Asmo had just entered his room after spending a late night at the fall, and the sound of Levi cursing at one of his video games was occasionally heard in the distance.

The last room to check across the hall from his own was Mc’s. Usually, they slept rather well, going to bed earliest out of everyone in the house. Tonight though, something was off. Lucifer raised a brow as he approached the room, uncertain if he was actually seeing light shining from the underside of the door. As if sooner believing he would be going crazy, he checked his watch- seeing the clock showing 1:45am back at him.

Maybe they fell asleep doing homework, he posited, approaching their door curiously. He paused before knocking, trying to listen closely to the music playing from behind the thick wooden door.

“...I can’t forget, I can’t forgive you ‘cause now I’m scared that everyone I love will leave me...”

Lucifer frowned. The somber melody continued, telling a story of pain and suffering caused by the individuals a child is supposed to trust and feel loved by. After listening to a few more bars, he knocked on the door- hearing the music decrease in volume slightly. There was a short pause, and then the door slowly unlocked and opened.

Lucifer sucked in a terse breath, seeing the clear evidence of your woe worn plainly on your face. You refused to make eye contact with him, instead staring at the ground. “S-sorry, Lucifer. I’ll turn it down, I didn’t mean to keep you awake.”

Lucifer felt his heart squeeze in his chest. “Mc, is everything alright?”

You glanced up at him briefly before looking down again, your bottom lip trembling slightly as they desperately tried to hold back tears. After realizing there was no use being dishonest with the first borne, you shook their head.

Lucifer nodded, gesturing into the room. You stepped aside, wiping your eyes as he entered. You shut the door quietly behind him, pausing as he picked up your phone to look at the song you had been listening to. He scrolled down to the lyrics, reading them over carefully. With each line, his heart ached more and more- not only for you, but for himself.

“Why are you listening to this song?” Lucifer pondered aloud, turning to face you. “And why so late tonight?”

You sighed as you approached your bed, sinking down onto the push mattress. Lucifer quickly joined, watching your expressions carefully.

“I talked to him earlier tonight.” You stated flatly, trying to stop the shaking in your voice.

Lucifer raised a brow. “Your father?”

You nod, rubbing your forearm. “Yeah...”

“Ah- I’m assuming he gave you the usual- lectures, degradation, and insults?”

You scoffed. “Pretty much, yeah. But...” You paused, turning your head away from him.

Lucifer took your hand in his, squeezing it gently. “But?”

You take a deep breath. “It felt different today, I guess. Like, after seeing all of the texts in our group chat between him and my siblings happily sharing childhood pictures. Every single one of them, they were smiling and having fun.”

Lucifer nodded, squeezing their hand once more to reassure them that he was here.

“I...” they bit their lip, “...I couldn’t find a single one that brought back good memories. I look miserable in all of them- even the ones where I am smiling. It just makes me think...like...Is there something wrong with me..? Why does he treat me so terribly? What did I do to deserve..?”

You burst into tears, snatching your hand away from lucifer and covering your eyes to try to hide how shameful you felt for acting such a way in front of the Avatar of Pride. The pain you felt ran deep, the mixture of resentment, grief, hurt, insecurity, self-blame, and anger all overflowing out of you like a waterfall.

Lucifer felt his heart splinter as they sobbed, feeling the emotion flooding their aura with each shuddered breath and wail in agony. He inched closer, pulling them into a tight embrace. He rubbed their back as they cried into his chest, gripping the lapel of his vest tightly to ground themself.

As they cried, his mind wandered back to the song lyrics, reflecting on his own experience with his father. It was different than Mc’s experience, sure- but it’s not like Lucifer forgot the numerous lies he was told for the sake of manipulation, the way his own father would shame him or degrade him for anything he did that didn’t fit his “grand plan,” the over-the-top expectations that Lucifer tried to meet, but was never able to, the emotional distance...and he remembered the punishments far too vividly. Not only for him, but for his brothers as well.

Lucifer gripped your back, feeling tears threaten to spill from his own eyes as memories of the toxicity within his own family lineage. He closed his eyes, trying to regulate his breath as he rested his chin atop your trembling head.

You sat together like this for quite some time- not that either of you was really keeping track. When you had expelled all the tears your body could release, Lucifer finally said his piece.

“Mc, you did nothing to deserve such terrible treatment. A parent is supposed to love their children unconditionally, and your Father clearly failed in that moral duty.” Lucifer paused, taking a deep breath. “Nothing will change what has happened to you, or the fact that he still treats you this way, but I can assure you that you don’t deserve it- not one bit.”

You nodded somberly, though seemingly remained unconvinced. Lucifer rubbed his thumb across your shoulder as he waited for you to find the words to speak, allowing you to take as much time as you needed.

“I just...” you hiccupped, your breaths still slightly uneven. “I...I never got to have a dad- not like my siblings did. And I...I just wish I could have that. I want it so bad it h-hurts.”

Lucifer closed his eyes, taking another deep breath, though this time it was his turn to shed tears. You snap your attention to him and pressed a hand to Lucifer’s thigh, concerned over what you had said to produce such a reaction.

“I understand that feeling, Mc.” He murmured quietly, trying to keep his voice from shaking. “And it’s something I don’t think I myself have properly addressed. Perhaps, while we should grieve the loss of a relationship that will never be, we should also keep close the individuals who cherish us for who we are- warts and all.”

You nod, chewing on his words.  Inching closer, you rest your head against his chest, finding comfort in his steady heartbeat. “Then...could you stay with me a little longer tonight, Luci? I don’t...I don’t think I want to be alone right now.”

Lucifer pressed a gentle kiss to the top of your head, clutching you tighter to his chest. “Of course, my love. I’m not going anywhere.”

[with-love-from-hell]

Hi um sorry if this is something you won’t write for please ignore it and I’m not trying to be inconsiderate. Recently I accepted that I was very likely groomed online in my preteen years. I’m a young adult now so it’s been years since it happened but it haunts me almost every day. I completely thought it wouldn’t be taken seriously or I’d be blamed if I told anyone (still do) and was wondering if you could write something for it? A headcanon list with Lucifer, Simeon, and Barbatos (and any others) or just a drabble with Barbatos if you are willing? Some sort of comfort or assurance that it’s not MC’s fault…? I hope this makes sense…

OH yes! I can write for this! I am so sorry you had that experience. I hope you know that it’s not your fault and that person who groomed you deserves a fate worse than death. Take care, anon <3

How they react to Mc being groomed as a child

Genre: hurt/comfort, Headcanons

Characters featured: Lucifer, Simeon, Barbatos

Written for a GN!MC (they/you pronouns)

TRIGGER WARNING: grooming, vague illusion to abuse, things associated with online pests who groom children. 

Scenario: Mc has had a tough week filled with triggers to past experiences with past grooming, and decides to confide in him about it. Their speech is tearful and they are visibly distraught throughout their telling of the experience. This is how they will comfort them. 

Note: Though I do have a masters degree in Psychology and clinical training in treating survivors of abuse, I am not your therapist, nor is this fic intended to take the place of professional help. If you are experiencing any type of abuse, please seek support from a professional. Utilize the Victim Connect Resource Center to get connected to the appropriate helpline.

Lucifer

You find him in his office, of course. It’s late at night and you’re alone with your thoughts, so who better to seek out who would be awake at this hour. 

He knows something is wrong the minute you ask if you can come into his office. Right away, he hears the timidness in your voice and sees your dour stance. 

He will sit down on his soft leather couch next to you and pour you some demonus, telling you to take your time in saying what you need to say, because he can already tell it will be hard for you.

The minute you start telling him about your experience, his usual firm and cold demeanor drops and he intently focuses on your every word. 

He will patiently wait until you’re done expelling your story before offering any thoughts, knowing its best for you to vent at your own pace, but he will provide indicators that he is listening (lots of eye contact, and expressions of grief for your experience)

He honestly can kind of relate, given his experience in the celestial realm will probably resemble some of the things you say. It may trigger something within himself that may make him particularly empathetic to your experience. 

When you’re done talking, he will ask if you would like any physical comfort.  If you say no, he will keep his distance. If you say yes though, he will pull you onto his lap and hold you gently, brushing your tears away and hushing you softly. 

He will be adamant in convincing you it wasn’t your fault, and that you were not stupid for falling for any abuse tactics. 

He may also ask for the individuals name...just for reference- I mean, a name can tell you a lot about a person, right? He definitely isn’t going to take a detour on his next trip to the human world to teach the person a lesson. 

He will offer to stay with you through the night, either sleeping next to you or providing a distraction (like playing chess or a board game of your choice, or listening to music).

He will be much more protective over you after this, as he knows some demons have a tendency to manipulate humans into doing what they want, and he doesn’t want you to relive that experience. 

Simeon

A slumber party at Purgatory hall sounded fun, so you couldn’t back out now- not when Luke was so excited to have you over

But as night falls, the small angel goes to sleep, Solomon returns to his potion brewing, and you are left wide awake with only your thoughts, and Simeon’s bright smile.

He had noticed something was wrong when he had seen you earlier in the day, but he was waiting for you to come to him (or anyone really, he just hoped it’d be him) at your own pace.

So when you decide to open up to him, he turns his full attention toward you. He can tell your serious, and clearly it’s something that has created a wound, so he preemptively takes your hand gently in his and strokes your knuckles with thumb while you speak. 

He will interrupt every so often to tell you how sorry he is about your experience, and remind you that you don’t have to give more detail than you are comfortable with. 

He will also give consistent reminders that you aren’t to blame for being trusting of others, and that the other person was to blame for taking advantage of that trust. 

After you’re done, he will pull you into a tight embrace and let you cry. If you express your displeasure in that, he will let you go and ask what you do want. If not, he will grip you firmly. 

He will also give you soft expressions of how grateful he is to have you in his life, and how much he cherishes you. 

He will also apologize for not having been there to help you during that time, but remind you that he’s here now and wont let anything like that happen to you again.

Simeon will thank you for trusting in him to talk to him about such a terrible experience, and remind you that he is always around for you to rely on.

He will also give a silent promise of watching you more closely from now on, and recognizing signs you may be experiencing a trigger. During these times, he will pull you aside and ask if he can take you somewhere as a distraction. 

Barbatos

Frankly, Barbatos is shocked at first when you decided to trek all the way to the castle to talk to him about something. 

He immediately assumes the worse, thinking that you’re struggling with the brothers or are going to try to convince him to send you home. 

He is relieved when you say you just had something held inside you needed to talk to someone about, and will take you out into the garden (with home made refreshments, of course).

He will listen intently while you speak, not saying much of anything but nodding along and making facial expressions that indicate his sympathy for what you have gone through. 

When you’re done talking, he will simply ask if he can give you his thoughts on what you said. 

(at first this sounds scary but trust me, you’re gonna want to say yes)

He will then proceed to tell you how abhorrent the person who did this to you was, and how sorry he is that it was you who had to suffer such a fate. 

He will be firm, but gentle in his assertion that it wasn’t your fault and that you harbor no responsibility in being a child who was manipulated by an adult.

He will remind you that abuse techniques work for a reason, and that the goal of abusers is to convince their victims that they are the one at fault. 

He will reach out and offer you his hand to hold and take you on a walk through the garden to clear your head, giving gentle squeezes along the way to reassure you that he’s here. 

Barbatos will offer to lend an ear to whenever you feel like you’re needing to vent, and will also ask information regarding specific triggers or things he and everyone else should be aware of. 

After, he will sift through your life memories to find out who the person was and everything about them. 

Let’s just say that the individual may end up in a cell below the castle where he answers to Barbatos for a very, very long time. 

[with-love-from-hell]

Please write healed self harm scars with mammon and they/them mc

You probably haves lots of requests so please put this one off or don't do it if you needદᵕ̈૩

Scars

Fandom: Obey Me

Genre: Comfort, one shot

Written for a GN!Mc (you/your pronouns used)

WC: 1.5k

CW: mentions of self-harm via cutting (not current, referring to the past), Scaring as a result of self-harm (arms and thighs), depictions of burns from hot grease, MC is written as shorter than Mammon, slight implication of romance between MC and Mammon

“O-Oi! Human!” 

You look over their shoulder to see Mammon jogging into the kitchen where you were trying to focus on cooking dinner. He looked panicked, and held a small box under his jacket that he was clearly trying to hide. He appeared to be out of breath, trying to hold back his gasps for air. 

“What’s up?” You flashed him a quick smile before reluctantly turning your attention back to the burner. Lucifer had warned you about keeping a close eye on the ingredients for tonight's meal while sautéing them, as the Shadow Hog filets tend to spit back a lot of hot grease if the flame’s on the stove aren't low enough. 

Mammon shifted his weight nervously before attempting to speak. His cheeks were red with a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment. “Well, I know that around the time of your birthday, I wasn’t able to get’cha somethin’ ‘cuz I didn’t have the money...but I got ya somethin’ now! So here!” 

You turn just in time for Mammon to shove the box in your direction, unintentionally pushing you back into the handle of the pan. The pan dropped to the floor with a clatter, but not before splashing hot grease all over your abdomen in the process. You shrieked, immediately ripping the apron off of you and trying to shed your shirt before the fabric fused to your skin. 

In a panic, Mammon desperately tried to help by grabbing the spray hose to the sink. He didn’t even hear your “wait!” before spraying you with cold water, causing you to shriek once more. You pleaded for Mammon to stop spraying the frigid water at you, but he only listened when Lucifer burst in from the dining room. The eldest brother sent you to your room to tend to your wounds from the burns, instructing Mammon to clean up the mess made from his clumsiness. 

Well, he only got a few minutes into mopping before his eyes fell to the soaked box on the floor. Deciding the clean-up could wait, he snatched the box and followed you back up to your room. 

After all, he was your first man. He should make sure you’re okay...even if he was the cause of it. 

Mammon entered your room without knocking, as usual, but regretted it instantly when he saw you in your underwear in front of the full length mirror. You were putting ointment on the fresh burns that littered your skin. The splotches decorated your lower tummy, upper thighs, and the back of your left hand and arm in almost a Dalmatian-like pattern. 

But those weren’t the only marks that littered your skin. 

No...tons of what appeared to be scratches- well, at least that’s what the scars looked to be like now; he assumed they had been worse-looking in the past. Some of them were fadded, others were darker, but the pattern was just as sporadic around your legs and forearms, just as the burns had been. He realized in this moment that this was the first time he’d seen you without long sleeves or long pants on, and the exposure felt...well...wrong. 

He felt a twinge of guilt fester in his chest seeing the fresh tears dotting the corners of your eyes as you caught his glance in the mirror- probably from the pain of the burns. He averted his gaze, but the damage was done. His mind raced with what caused those scars- and in that amount. Somewhere in his mind, he knew you had done them to yourself, but he wanted to believe that maybe you just owned a particularly mean cat during childhood...yeah...or...or maybe you walked into some sharp, long grass by accident, or...

“Mams?” 

Mammon glanced up, seeing you facing him now. He tensed, taking a step backwards away from you. The action seemed to confuse you at first, but you remembered how he acted similarly during the night Lucifer had attacked you all those months ago. It was as if he was afraid he’d hurt you. 

You approached him cautiously, gently brushing your fingers on his arm when you stopped in front of him. “Mammon? What’s wrong?” 

He swallowed hard, forcing his gaze back to yours. “I- um...I...” He paused, not sure how to address what he had seen. 

You tilt your head, squeezing his arm gently in concern. “Hey, It’s OK! I know you didn’t mean it. It was just an accident!I’m gonna be alright- see?” 

You point to your abdomen with your other arm, the marks already fading into scars thanks to the healing ointment infused with magic. All Mammon’s eyes could focus on at were the scars on your arm, his stare lingering to the point where you finally noticed he wasn't looking at the burns. You felt your chest squeeze in nervousness, finally realizing that your carefully concealed scars were wide open for his viewing.

“Oh...that.” You bite the inside of your cheek and look away for a moment. 

“What...what did ya do?” He muttered sadly, his eyes still locked on your arm. 

“Well...” You start, trying to find where to begin. “There was a time in my life where I was feeling pretty bad about...well...everything. So I turned to...hurting myself, I guess.” 

Mammon nodded, but you weren’t quite sure if he had heard what you said. 

“I don’t do it anymore.” You added, nervously filling the silence. “I haven’t in a long time.”

“I just don’t get it.” Mammon murmurs after a moment, finally tearing his gaze away from your arms and looking deep into your eyes. “Why would ya do somethin’ like that?” 

“I...I just didn’t really know what else to do at the time.” Your voice quivers slightly as your brain trails back to the place you had been at during your self harm episodes. “I just...couldn’t feel my emotions, and I didn’t like myself very much.” 

Mammon nods, understanding what you meant. He couldn’t relate to thought’s of hurting yourself, but he would often drown his emotions in his gambling, and he often felt inadequate in comparison to his brothers. 

You both sat quietly for a moment, just staring at each other. 

“MAMMOONNNNNNN?” Lucifer’s booming voice from downstairs jolted you both out of your thoughts. Mammon returned downstairs with his tail between his legs, eager to begin cleaning again escape the awkward situation he had created with you. You trotted down fully clothed shortly thereafter. 

The two of you went about your own activities in silence for a moment- you going about re-preparing dinner, and Mammon cleaning up the excess water on the floor. After a while, the tension slipped away, and you both were laughing and joking like normal again. Throughout dinner the vibe stayed the same with the brothers- anyone looking in wouldn’t see anything wrong. But Mammon still held a bit of worry for you deep in his heart, and he wasn’t sure how to express it. It wasn’t until after dinner when he had offered to help you clear the table and do dishes that he finally decided to speak his mind. 

“Uh...Mc...About earlier...” He began, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. “I’m sorry for askin’ ya all that stuff. Ya probably didn’t wanna talk ‘bout it.” 

“No, it’s OK,” you smile weakly. “I hadn’t told anyone here yet, and it feels kind of nice to have someone else know, I suppose.” 

Mammon nods in agreement, mulling over his next move as you finish rinsing the final dish.

“Oh...” He quickly dries his hands on his shirt and takes out the box from his back pocket. He hands it to you carefully as you dry your hands, a pink blush dusting his cheeks. As you take it from him and open it, he continues his thought. “...Just for the record, I think there’s a lot to like about ya...So don’t go sayin’ that you don’t like yourself again, ya hear? Or I’ll be forced to write ya a list of things- and I would die of exhaustion with how many things would be on that list, a-alright?!” 

He tries to sound as if he’s joking, but his nervous stammering and blushed face let you see right through him. As you finally get the soggy box open, you are greeted with a small, black leather bracelet with a few charms dangling from it. One is of a crow, the other is of a Grimm, and the third is a tag with  “#1″ etched into both sides. You smile warmly, slipping the bracelet on with ease. 

“Thank you, Mammon. I love it.”  Before he could react, you bounce onto the tips of your toes and plant a quick kiss on Mammon’s cheek.  He blinks back his shock, his cheeks turning a deep red. You giggle in response and turn to leave. 

“H-hey!” He stutters, gripping your wrist in his hand. He pulls you back to face him, unintentionally bringing your body flush against his. His thin fingers press into the flesh of your hips gently as he leans down. His breath was shaky and his voice at a volume barely above a whisper, tickling your ears as he mumbled into them. “I mean it, ya hear? I...I care about you, Mc. I hope ya know that.” 

[with-love-from-hell]

 Attrition

{ft. Barbatos}

Part 9 of the Fortification Series  (based on this request)

Genre: hurt/comfort, angst, some fluff

Written for a GN!MC, though the partner is written as male.

WC: ~4.4k

TRIGGER WARNING: Each part contains graphic depictions of various types of abuse, please see specific content warnings for each individual part.

CW:  sexual abuse/assault, physical abuse, emotional abuse, threats, intimidation, graphic torture, graphic violence and gore, strangulation & hanging via rope, eye mutilation, self-harm via cutting, urination/incontinence, swearing

Series Masterlist

Note: Though I do have a masters degree in Psychology and clinical training in treating survivors of abuse, I am not your therapist, nor is this fic intended to take the place of professional help. If you are experiencing any type of abuse, please seek support from a professional. Utilize the Victim Connect Resource Center to get connected to the appropriate helpline.

THIS ONE IS PRETTY GRAPHIC, PLEASE MIND THE WARNINGS. I figured I’d crank out a longer finale to the series because I wanted to end it with a bang, and also because I love Barbatos and haven’t written a lot for him!!!

“Welcome everyone! I am glad you could all join me this evening!” Diavolo beamed, pleased with his gathering of the exchange students for a fun weekend at the castle. “We will be having dinner in about two hours; please take some time to find your respective rooms and explore the castle. Since the brothers wont be joining us until tomorrow evening, you will all have solo rooms for the night!”

You gulp, fidgeting with the hem of your shirt. A “retreat” at the castle with only the other exchange students meant that you would be away from your primary protectors- the ones who vowed to keep you safe from your boyfriend as you figured out a way to end the relationship peacefully. You really thought he would change after coming to Devildom. But in reality, the tense atmosphere and laissez faire rules surrounding interpersonal conduct only enabled him to treat you worse. You had tried your best to work up the courage to end things, but the more violent he became, the harder it was to do. 

Mammon was the first to realize something was wrong. You begged him not to tell anyone for fear of retaliation, but he knew you needed more help. Soon enough, each of the brothers were always around you, ensuring your boyfriend couldn’t hurt you (mentally or physically) as long as they were by your side. Lucifer had been trying to make an official report to Diavolo, but it appeared that with their interventions, they didn't have any recent enough evidence to address it. So you went on with their protection; to intimidate him enough to back off...and it worked, too.

Until tonight. 

You gulp, feeling your boyfriend’s hand squeeze yours threateningly. You knew that he knew you were going to try to leave, and that the brothers were always there in order for you to avoid his “punishments.” That’s why he suggested this little “retreat” to Divaolo in the first place- to finally get you vulnerable enough to do whatever he wanted. 

Diavolo relieved you all to your quarters, and your boyfriend tugs on you aggressively. As he drags you in the direction of the west spire stairs, you hear your name called from behind. 

“Mc, I am actually needing you to stay behind with me.”

You and your boyfriend turn, seeing Barbatos approaching from Diavolo’s side. He eyes your boyfriend before turning his attention back to you, a warm smile decorating his face. 

“M-me? Why?”

Barbatos stops in front of you, extending his hand for you to take instead of your boyfriends. “Diavolo has requested that the cuisine prepared tonight incorporates some food from the human world, as we have yet to really taste any delicacies from your culture. I know you are quite fond of cooking, so I figured having your aid in this venture would be useful for preparation and tasting.” 

Before you could answer, your boyfriend squeezes your hand tightly- so tight, that you feared of your fingers breaking under his grip. You clamp your mouth shut, knowing that this was a sign for you to be quite and let him speak. You try to hold back tears as you feel the joint of your thumb pop- clearly dislocating like it had so many times in the past.

“I don’t know why you would pick them, of all people.” The man scoffs and shakes his head. “The food they make isn’t much better than the slop you all eat here.” 

Barbatos’ eye twitches in annoyance, his warm smile quickly dropping into a frown. “I apologize that our food isn’t up to your standards, (name), but I have faith in Mc’s ability to assist in this matter. If you’re standing in opposition, I would like a better reason than you having poor taste in food.” 

Your boyfriend continues squeezing your hand, Barbatos’ challenging of his words increasing his anger. After a tense moment of staring each other down, your boyfriend drops your hand and turns away. “Whatever. Do what you want.”  

He storms off, pushing one of the little Ds out of the way as he trudged up the stairs. You breathe a sigh of relief, the panic of being alone with him subsiding slightly. You turn to Barbatos, who still has his hand outstretched to you. 

Barbatos takes your hand, not missing the wince crossing your features as he gently directs you along. Silently, the two of you walked to the kitchen, and you settled in chopping some vegetables while Barbatos and some of the little Ds worked on the pastries and attended to the pots on the stove. Some of the tension you felt in your muscles released as you focused on your tasks, entranced to the point where you didn’t notice Barbatos’ concerned glances at you between his own tasks. 

He was a very perceptive demon, and he could easily see the rage brewing behind your boyfriend’s eyes when he grabbed your hand and dragged you along with him. Barbatos also had enough of a glimpse into your timeline to know of the horrid things this man had done to you, and he had warned Diavolo of having both of you here together for the exchange program, but the prince insisted that the exchange program could somehow resolve or mend these wounds. Barbatos could almost laugh at the naivety of it, if the situation wasn’t clearly life threatening to you. 

He found his mind wandering to the incident shortly before you came here- the last thing he had seen in your timeline before having enough of the sickening visuals of the man's behaviors. Forcing you into such obscene acts when your distressed “no’s” could be surely be heard by anyone within a mile radius still haunted his mind when he found his thoughts wandering to you, and he struggled in feeling guilt for not demanding the prince do something about him sooner. While he was glad that the brothers took notice, he couldn’t help but feel as if he enabled the abuse, and Diavolo suggesting such an isolated retreat- under your boyfriend’s suggestion no less- only made him feel worse. 

“Barbatos?” 

The butler snapped his attention up from the dough he had been kneading, meeting your uncertain eyes. “Hmm?” 

“I said I’m finished with the carrots and beets.” You swallow, unsure of why the usually attentive butler had failed to hear you the first time. “Is there anything else you need me to do?” 

Barbatos smiled, turning to grab a mixing bowl and some other ingredients. “Yes, I will have you mix these together here. I have the measurements written down here.” 

He hands you the open cookbook flipped to a recipe for brown-sugar glazed veggies. As you grab it, you feel the lingering pain from the dislocated thumb jolt through you. You hiss at the sharp pain, dropping the book and sending various ingredients and spices spilling all over the counter and the floor. 

“Shit!” You quickly hop off your stool trying to clean up the ingredients as fast as you can despite the throbbing in your hand. Your heart pounds in your ears, completely horrified to what your punishment from the demon would be for your clumsiness. You knew he rivaled Lucifer in his strictness, and his controlled demeanor suggested anything less than perfection would not be tolerated. You yelp as the pain continues up your arm, clutching it to your chest to sooth it.

Barbatos rounds the counter, coming to aid your injury. What he didnt expect, however, was for your to flinch underneath his attempts to console you, and beg for forgiveness for your error. His heart drops as you sob, begging him not to hit you for what you’ve done. 

Barbatos slowly sinks down to one knee, gently rubbing your shoulders and reassuring that he had no intentions on harming you. He felt sick, thinking that this is what you had been reduced to as a result of your boyfriend’s abuse. As your tears finally slow, he aided in wrapping your hand, ensuring your thumb would be set into place as you continued to sit with him in the kitchen. There was no way he would send you back out to two straight hours of abuse.

Instead, he let you play some music from the human world, lightening the mood a bit and teaching him things about how various genres sounded in comparison to the Devildom. After the primary dishes were finished and popped into the oven, Barbatos turned to you, reaching across the counter to study your hand injury. You watched him, nervous about what he was thinking as he traced the injury with his index finger. 

“He did this...” Barbatos looked up at you, his hardened stare meeting your anxious eyes to confirm what he already knew was the truth.

You gulped. “I...uh...” 

“It’s okay.” He cooed, closing his hands around yours and rubbing your wrist gently with his thumb. “I already know... I’m sorry I didn’t help you sooner.” 

You blinked at him in surprise. “Wha- I...How...?”

Barbatos gave a short, sad smile, before his lips fell back into a frown. “It isn’t important how I know of the things he’s done to you, Mc. What is important though, is that I will stop at nothing to prevent him from hurting you again.” 

You look away, tears slowly sliding down your cheeks. “I...I don’t think you can do anything. I mean, he’s been getting away with it for so long, I-”

Barbatos hushed you, wiping away stray tears from your cheeks. “Let me take care of it. Trust me when I say that he will pay for what he's done.” 

You smile weakly as Barbatos pulls you into a gentle hug. Feeling the warmth of his body as he caressed you made you feel safe. You wanted to believe him- to believe there would be an end to this awful, awful nightmare.

It took so long for him to get you alone, but finally, he managed to do it. 

After having your fill of socializing for the evening, and you had said your goodnight’s to everyone, you had gone off to bed. Barbatos reminded you to double latch the door- something he had put in place specifically because of your vulnerability- but he didn’t account for the fact that your boyfriend seemingly had more magic affinity than anticipated. He easily bypassed the locks on your door as you readied yourself for bed, slamming the door open and approaching you with pure disdain in his eyes. 

“So, what- you’re telling the help all of our private business now too?” He snarled as he approached you, backing you completely into the wall. 

“N-no! I didn’t say anything, I swear.” You squeak, trying to hide your exposed body away from him. 

“Bullshit.” he spat in your face, quickly grabbing you by the arm and throwing you onto the bed. 

You panic, trying to run away, but he grabs you by the arm and jerks you backwards again, this time pinning you against the plush mattress. You feel the ache in your arm as he grips you tighter, hurling accusations and insults at you, and threating to punish you unless you prove your devotion to him. Your heart stops when you feel his posterior press against you, nausea creeping up in your stomach. 

Not again. 

You beg him to leave you alone, saying you don’t want any of the things he was going to do, but your pleas fall upon deaf ears. He rips what little clothing you have away before making work of his own. You cry in desperation, screaming for help before he silences you with a harsh slap to the face. 

“Shut the fuck up.” The man hisses, posturing himself over you. 

You whimper, closing your eyes as you prepare for the worst. But the sound of the door slamming open stirs you from your dissociated state. 

No words are spoken from your savior, only the growls in anger from your boyfriend, followed by the sounds of a physical struggle.

and then...silence. 

You open your eyes, noticing some furniture flipped over in the room and an unfamiliar afghan thrown over the edge of the bed, but other than that no one else was there. There’s a soft nock at your door, followed by Simeon’s voice asking if you were okay. You quickly dress yourself in a robe and shakily greet him, Luke, and Solomon, asking if they can keep you company while you process what had just happened. They each sit around you, Simeon letting you rest your head in his lap, Solomon fixing up your room, and Luke holding your hand while you come down from the panic. You hoped that, where ever he was, your boyfriend would not be returning. 

Barbatos forced the door open with ease after hearing your desperate cries for help, requesting that the other concerned exchange students stay back until the room went quiet. He had intended to give you fresh blankets and to teach you a spell to teleport yourself out of your room if you needed to, but he had underestimated that horrid man’s tenacity in exerting his control over you. 

Seeing the man attempting to sexually assault you threw him over the edge. Barbatos quickly threw him off you, holding him by the neck with his tails. The man thrashed as he choked for air, but his attempts at freedom were worthless under Barbatos' hold. Barbatos stole a sad, longing glance at your trembling form, feeling immense guilt for you having clearly been hurt again. He made a silent promise to return when he was finished with the scum of a man before disappearing through a portal. 

He stepped through to his room, the man kicking and yelling as he dragged his naked body along the brick floor. Barbatos’ mind swarmed with all of the things he wanted to do to him, but he couldn’t settle on just one. Oh- no, no. This man needed to suffer for all he had done.

Barbatos made his way swiftly to the small side room off to the left from his bedchambers. The man squealed as a few bats hissed and flapped around his face, trying his best to shoo them away by flailing his arms. Barbatos scoffed at his trivial fear of a small, harmless animal. He would surely show him what true fear was. 

Throwing him into the wall upside down, the man yelped when his back hit the cragged brick. He fell on his neck, groaning at the strain as he tried to right himself. While the man was preoccupied, Barbatos flicked the door shut, 7 locks latching in place at the snap of his fingers. He paced in front of the man, thoughts of how he would make him suffer first racing through his head.

“What the fuck, man?!” the man yelled, trying to find his bearings as he got up off the floor. “You can’t hurt me! I...I’m an exchange student!!”

Once the man was able to adjust his vision to the dark, his heart began to beat faster with anxiety. Seeing Barbatos’ lips curled up into a snarl, his teeth glistening in the moonlight feeding into the room from the large window struck terror into his heart. His serpent-like eyes burned brightly in a viridian hue, piercing the man’s soul. His tail, thrashing behind him, shimmered turquoise, the veins glowing brighter the angrier he seemed to become. 

“Just who do you think you are!” He snapped, now standing up to confront the demon. He thought perhaps Barbatos was merely just trying to frighten him, and convinced himself that his status as an exchange student would grant him immunity from harm. “What we do in the bedroom is none of your god damn business!” 

Barbatos stopped pacing, fully turning to face the man. His snarl grew, giving the man a better view of his sharp fangs. He felt intense fury flare within his heart as the man tried to assert that you had consented to sexual acts in any way, and he found it difficult to restrain himself from straight-up killing the man. If only this bull-headed man was wise, he would shut his mouth.

“Is that so?” Barbatos hissed. “Because I seem to recall you having no qualms with making it everyone's business in the past. And I don't think screaming for help means anything consensual is going on in that circumstance.”

The man’s eyes widened. “W-what are you talking about?” 

Barbatos smirked. “I know much more than you think I do, (name).”

Barbatos stepped forward, now toe-to-toe with the crumbling human before him. Every attempt to back up was met with another forward step, until the man was backed against the wall with no hope for escape.

“At first I was surprised at seeing such despicable behavior from a human.” Barbatos growled, his eyes transfixed on the man’s. He followed his gaze as it darted around the room, searching desperately for some way out. “And I must say, Most demons wouldn’t behave in such a manner toward someone so virtuously innocent. Though, after looking back on human history, it appears that scum like you have done terrible things since the beginning of time.” 

The man gulped, trying to side-step the demon and make a run for the door. Barbatos punched the wall next to his head, the brick giving way beneath his fists. Remnants of the brick wall burst from the impact, showering the floor with clay fragments. The man froze, realizing that brick could easily have been his head.

Barbatos cocked his head to the side as the man began to tremble before him. He smirked, knowing he had really begun to strike fear into the man. “I think it’s time your debts came due.” 

The man gulped as Barbatos turned away, disappearing into the darkest corner of the room. The man bolted for the door, fumbling with the locks as best he could, though the magic seals rendered them frozen in place. 

“Attempting to escape is futile.” Barbatos hissed from the darkness, causing the hairs on the back of the mans neck to stand on end. “Though, it is somewhat amusing that you think you can circumvent justice...”

Before the man could react, a noose fell over his head and he was yanked backwards. A 7-pointed star was painted in black ink on the ground, only barely visible in the low light of the moon. The man was hung in the center, his feet just barely able to touch the ground. He attempted to stand on his toes, desperate to lessen the bite of the rope against his windpipe.

Barbatos approached from the corner, murmuring a spell in a tongue the man didn’t understand. The man tried to speak, but his voice was rendered inaudible over Barbatos’ chants. Barbatos then held up a knife to his own palm, slicing just enough to draw blood and dripping it into a small wooden bowl. After tossing in a few more ingredients, He approached the man. 

“I give you the curse of eternal life.” Barbatos remarked, kneeling before the man and dowsing the star in the liquid he created. “It can only be ended by the separation of your brain and heart from your body.” 

The man furrowed his brow in confusion, managing to choke out a “W-what?” 

Barbatos glanced up, muttering more incompressible words before whispering to the man. “You will soon see.” 

The star began to glow a yellowish-green, completely blinding the man for a moment. His skin prickled with electricity for a moment, but it was fleeting as the light faded. He blinked into the dark, finally adjusting enough to see the outline of Barbatos’ figure in front of him. 

“Time for a test to see if the curse was successful.” Barbatos noted, a slight curiosity present in his tone, before reaching behind him and yanking down.

Suddenly the man was 5feet off the ground, his ability to breathe completely cut off. He clawed desperately at the rope, trying to free himself, but was unable to get his fingers around the thick fibers that continued to tighten around his neck. He hung there for what seemed like an eternity, praying that death would find him to end the suffering instead after being unable to break free...but death never came. 

“Perfect.” Barbatos mused, a nefarious smirk playing on his lips. He dropped the rope that held the man, watching as he fell to the floor. 

The man’s body slammed on the ground in a fit of coughs and gulps of air, trying to fill his lungs with as much of it as he could. It wasn’t long before he again felt the pull of the rope on his neck, choking him as he was dragged across the floor.

He wasn’t quite sure when the texture of the floor shifted, but soon enough he felt gritty dirt beneath him rather than the jagged brick of the room he was previously in. He was able to see the remnants of a portal when his eyes focused on the distance, but it quickly dissipated into the low candle light. He could make out some old doors in the dim lighting, but between the tension on his throat and the clouds of dust, his vision could not focus long enough to get any bearings for his surroundings. 

Barbatos pulled the man through one of the doors, stopping only to just barely to restrain the man by his arms and neck. Barbatos kicked his knees in from the back, forcing him down in a kneeling position. He gathered his instruments, not caring to ensure they were clean from their previous uses, but being mindful of their sharpness. 

Barbatos turned to the man with the long blade he had selected, trailing it across the man’s cheek as observed him. He was eerily silent as he circled his prey, calculating what his first move would be. He felt the ground below wetten as the man soiled himself in fear of what was to come. He scoffed at the cowardice, continuing to trail the blade down the mans bare back to make him tremble in terror.

“I will tell you now, though you may have figured it out- my purpose of giving you eternal life was to prolong your suffering.” He mused, beginning to push the blade a bit harder as he outlined his plan for the man’s torture. “The audacity you have in harming Mc deserves such a punishment.” 

Before the man could speak, Barbatos thrust the blade into the left of the man’s upper back. He screamed, begging the butler to end his torture before it had even begun. Barbatos smirked, finding joy in the man’s pain- knowing that he was serving justice for you and what he had put you through for so long. 

“Pleading will get you nowhere, you unctuous swine. I have no intent on bringing you mercy,” Barbatos hissed, ripping away the layers of skin and muscles away to expose the bone and organs beneath. He did the same with the right side, relishing in the agonized wails of the man as he skillfully sliced back the flesh.

The man sobbed, trying to thrash against his binds, but giving up when the attempts to flee made the pain worse for him. He even attempted to cast magic to stop Barbatos, not realizing that the butler’s magical affinity was much stronger- especially given the man’s weakened state. Barbatos pinned the tissue back and tethered it magically to the walls of the cell, almost creating a grotesque sculpture of a human with wings. 

As he finished pinning the right side, his mind wandered to you, and he found himself longing to return to your aid and ensure you that your safety had been prioritized...but he knew he needed to complete this first. He sighed, finding himself speeding through the last bits of the man’s torment. He aggressively ripped the man’s lungs from their place and pulled them through either side of his spine, producing pained wheezes and coughs as he again struggled to breathe. He stepped back, admiring his work and how he managed to escape with very little blood covering his person, though the cell was coated from top to bottom. He walked around to the front of the man, tilting his chin up with the knife to look him in the eyes. 

“You are the lowliest human I have ever had the displeasure in meeting. I only wish that your torture could continue on by my hand, but I am pleased to know that your life will only be agony from here on. Perhaps another day I will return and finally offer you the release of death...that is, if the maggots don’t consume you first.” 

The man screeched, demanding Barbatos free him at once. The butler frowned, irritated by the man’s bold attempt at ordering him around. With a few flicks of his wrist, the man’s eyes were cut clean from his skull, plopping onto the floor amongst the mixture of urine and blood. With only a grin in response, Barbatos turned on his heel and left the cell, triple locking the door for safe measure. The man’s screams could be heard through the catacombs of the castle, silenced only when Barbatos closed the portal to his room. 

A soft knock at the door jolted you from your slumber. The others had returned to their rooms once you insisted you were okay, ensuring you that you could call on them should you need something. You weren't sure why, but the only one you wanted to hold you at that point was Barbatos. You felt comforted by his presence, and after your talk earlier that evening and his assurance that he would protect you, you felt safer with him than any of the others.

You shuddered in the cool night air as you padded toward the door, unlocking and opening it just a crack to greet who was there. Part of you feared it was your boyfriend, back from wherever he was carted off to. To your relief, it was Barbatos, who was holding a tray of tea and sweet rolls. 

“How are you doing?” He cooed, rubbing up and down your back gently. 

“I'm aware that it’s late, but...may I come in?” Barbatos' voice was saccharine as he spoke, obviously being careful not to cause you much more stress.

You eagerly welcomed him in. He put the tray down on your nightstand, then turned toward you. Before you had a chance to sit on your bed, he gathered you in a tight embrace. You blinked rapidly in surprise, but melted into his arms, squeezing him back just as tightly. 

“Mmm...okay, I suppose...” you murmured back, nuzzling your face against his neck. “Is...is he gone now?”

Barbatos pulled away, a shimmer of something sinister passing by his eyes. He assumed you could have guessed it was him who had taken care of the man you once called a boyfriend, but it still made his chest swell with pride that you were able to identify him so easily as your savior.  “Yes. He will not be harming anyone anymore.” 

You nod once, relief washing over you in waves. Barbatos sat next to you on the bed, giving your shoulders a gentle massage after pouring you some tea. You almost found his light scolding on your posture aggravating, but you knew they came from a place of reassurance that you were now safe- as long as the loyal butler remained by your side.